Please Take It...
by Boombubble
Summary: Kari's going away for the summer, and TK gives her a going away present she'll never forget.
1. Default Chapter

-Howdy! I received a lot of comments regarding the length of my last fic, so I've decided to show mercy upon everyone, including myself especially, and divide this up into chapters. Anyway, this is the first of what should be three installments of pure TaKari fluff. Please R&R, and let me know what you think. Well, that's enough out of me. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

Please Take It...

"I can't believe it!" TK yelped happily, as he stretched his arms over his shoulders. "Only one more school day before summer break!"

"You're hiding your excitement well," Kari giggled at her long time friend. "Then again, the thought of eight weeks without having to worry about school is something to look forward to." 

"And to think I'm finally going to get a chance to spend the summer with my friends." TK really did mean all of his friends, but he meant Kari most of all. Every moment he could spend with her was so precious to him, and the more time he spent with her the more he wanted. He just couldn't get enough. She looked so beautiful standing there walking along side of him. The sunlight shining off her face at just the right angel, adding an extra glow to her already gorgeous set of brown eyes. He had to pay razor close attention to himself to make sure he didn't start drooling. God, how he wanted to tell her that. Not the drooling part, but how he fully felt about her in his heart. It's not necessarily the best thing in the world when you realize you're in love with your best friend, but here he was dealing with the ultimate of emotional dilemmas. It wasn't like he never tried to tell her before. He had hinted at it numerous times. Hell, he'd even resorted to flat out hitting on her on several occasions, but she seemed to blow him off completely or simply ignore him every time. He knew she was too smart for it to go over her head just like that. Most of the time, she'd give him this funny look then blush and turn her head away. It was almost like she was saying to him thanks, but no thanks Takeru. He guessed that her ignoring him might be her gentle way of telling him she's not interested. When he looked at her he was seeing an angel, but when she looked at him she saw her best friend. Her best friend, and that's probably all he'd ever be to her. That didn't mean he was going to give up though. He'd continue to give subtle hints, but he'd never push her. He didn't want to strain their friendship in anyway. "It's going to be a blast! What do you think?"

"I guess... If you can stand putting up with me all summer!" Kari herself couldn't think of anything she'd rather do this summer than spend it with TK. She wasn't always sure why, but she always felt so good anytime she was near him. How she loved to look up into his soothing ocean-blue eyes. The only thing she wanted to do sometimes was stare into them for hours on in, and let herself sink to the bottom. She tried her best to catch herself whenever she felt she had been staring at him too long, which happened rather often, so he wouldn't catch her in the act. God, she wished she had the nerve to tell him what she was thinking right then. It's not necessarily the best thing in the world when you realize you're in love with your best friend, but here she was dealing with the ultimate of emotional dilemmas. It had been that way as long as she could remember. It wasn't like she never tried to tell him before. She tried to hint at it in her own subtle ways, and she flirted with him constantly. It wasn't always to make Davis jealous, but that was a nice added bonus. At least she thought she was flirting. She was definitely trying to. Their was this seductive look she developed that she tried to give him from time to time, but she could never manage giving it with a straight face... literally. She'd do fine up until the time TK would look down at her with his own thought erasing smile, and she'd just melt underneath its warmth. She'd completely lose her nerve, and all she could do was blush and turn her head away in defeat. There were times she could almost swear TK was hitting on her, but he'd never follow up. At least it sounded like it to her..., hey a girl could hope couldn't she? She guessed it was merely a kind word from her friend. Her best friend..., and it was simple as that.

"Anytime I can spend with you is well worth it." TK looked down at her and smiled waiting for a response that didn't come right away. She looked back at him for a brief second, blushed, and then turned her head away. That damn look again. TK grimaced, and growled softly in frustration. 

"You're being silly." Kari mentally kicked herself for saying that. She tried to look him in the face, but like always she caved. Normally she never had a problem at least looking him in the eye, but when he looked at her that way... It almost sounded to her like he was trying to flirt with her again. She waited for him to follow through, but like always nothing came. When his response came, it was no where near what she was hoping for.

"Yeah... Just being silly." TK suddenly stopped in the middle of the road much to Kari's surprise.

"What's the matter?" Kari asked, still partially lost in her own little world.

"You're home."

Kari looked up, and sure enough they were standing in front of her apartment. She blushed, and giggled half-heartedly. "Oh yeah... He, he. I guess I'll see you later. Let's both promise to make this the best summer we've ever had."

"You know I will girl!" TK said, perking up. "I'll make sure of that!" TK's smiled slowly faded, as he watched Kari dissapear into her building. "There's only one thing I can think of to make this summer perfect, but it doesn't look like that will ever happen... But at least I'll be with you."

********

Davis grumbled to himself, as he mashed through the crowded Odaiba streets. He couldn't believe Kari wasn't home! Another afternoon wasted. He had called twice since school let out, and they said she wasn't in. With nothing better to do, he tracked all the way over to her apartment just to discover she still wasn't at home. He had a sinking suspicion he knew where she was though. If fact, he was positive, and he didn't like it one little bit. He knew if he found him, he'd probably find Kari as well. He searched every street corner, alley, and back road hoping to find some trace of one of them. The grinding of his teeth nearly produced sparks, as he visualized them being together. God he hated to even picture that. What the hell did he have that Davis didn't anyway? Whatever it was, Kari obviously knew, and she wasn't telling him. They could pretend nothing was going on all they wanted, but contrary to popular belief Davis wasn't that stupid. He noticed how they were together all the time, and he meant all the time! He noticed the way Kari would look at him, and when he compared it to the way she looked at him he felt he might as well have been some kind of fungus spread across a big rock. He couldn't count how many times they'd be talking, he'd walk into the room, and Kari would forget he was even there. God he hated it. Yet, they still had the nerve to claim they were merely friends every time the question came up. It felt like they were trying to rub it in his face, or playing some big hateful practical joke on him. They must really think I'm stupid, was what he was thinking half the time. He'd grown so spiteful over the whole situation, he could almost swear all that laughing and giggling they did while they were together was directed towards him. "Hey, look at that idiot Davis. He really doesn't have a clue what we're doing behind his back," he could almost hear them say in his mind.. Davis for one wasn't laughing one bit. He'd love nothing more than to take that stupid hat of his, pull it down his head, and lead him off a cliff. Where did he get off going after his girl anyway? He was determined not to give up on Kari. Davis knew he was better than him, and he'd find a way to make Kari his. There was no way he was going to let that little bastard beat him. No way. As he continued to march through the seemingly endless city streets, the object of his disgust finally came into his view. 

"HEY TD! HOLD UP A SECOND!" Davis called out to the boy who had his back turned to him. 

TK cringed. He only knew of one person in the whole of Japan who couldn't string a simple T and a K together. "That has to be Davis." Not lessening his pace at all, he waited until Davis eventually bounded up next to him. "You want something Davis?"

"Where's Kari?" he asked, after noticing she was no where in sight. "I thought she'd be with you?"

"She was before I walked her home about ten minutes ago," he answered with a little added pop. He was offended by the rather snippy way Davis asked those questions. He sounded and looked particularly hostile towards him today, even for Davis. "What makes you assume she'd be with me anyway?"

"What are you talking about?! 'Cause she's always with you! To tell you the truth I really don't like the way you've been trying to put the moves on my girl!"

"I'm not putting the moves on anyone, and she's not your girl!" TK fired back. "How is spending time with my friend qualify as putting the moves on her anyway?!"

"Don't start with that friend thing again!" Davis barked. "I've seen the way you stare at her, hell you practically drool! I'm not buying any of your crap Takashi! You guys do everything but hold hands!"

TK blushed slightly, unnoticed to Davis since TK had his back turned to him, after learning Davis had caught him staring at Kari. He hoped to high hell nobody else noticed, in particular Kari. "It's amazing how you can pronounce my last name correctly, when you can't remember the two simple letters in my first name!"

"I know your name TB!"

"That's tuberculosis Davis!" he mocked. "It's TK. T...K!"

"Tubercuo-whatsis?"  


"Forget it Davis. I really don't feel like arguing with you right now," TK sighed, and quickened his pace in an attempt to pull further away from Davis. Davis however, would not be denied.

"Hold it right there! We're not finished!" Davis yelled after him.

"Yes we are!"

"No we're not!" Davis grabbed TK by the shoulder, but TK ignored him and kept walking. "I know your just trying to pretend you don't like Kari to throw me off, but it's not working anymore TC! She's in love with me! Get that through your thick skull! She's mine! MINE!"

TK's last nerve snapped like a pretzel log. Absolutely seething with anger, he whirled around and gave Davis a death glare that could've scared an adult lion out of his mane. Though that theory may never be tested, it sure caused Davis to take a step back or two. TK could take all of his insults, he could take Davis's stuck up attitude towards him, but the one he couldn't stand was Davis referring to Kari like she was his own little personal toy. "NO YOU GET THIS THROUGH YOUR THICK SKULL DAVIS! I'VE HAD IT UP TO HEAR WITH YOU!" he shouted, as he extended his hand as far above his head as he could manage. "IT'S A GOOD THING YOU WEREN'T BUYING ANY OF MY CRAP, 'CAUSE YOU'RE SO FULL OF YOUR OWN YOU'D HAVE TO MAKE ROOM TO FIT IT ALL IN! LET ME SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT! SHE MAY JUST BE IN LOVE WITH YOU, BUT YOU DO NOT OWN HER! YOU NEED TO STOP TALKING AND ACTING LIKE SHE DOES, OR I'M GOING TO TAKE THOSE GOGGLES AND SHOVE THEM SO FAR DOWN YOUR THROAT YOU'LL BE WIPING YOUR BUTT WITH THE STRAP!"

Davis was taken back. "I never said I owned her... AND DON'T THREATEN ME!"

"I DON'T MAKE THREATS, AND YOU STARTED ALL THIS!" 

"AND I'M READY TO FINISH IT!" Davis tightened up his fists "LET'S HAVE IT OUT! RIGHT HERE FOR KARI RIGHT NOW!"

"WHAT DID I JUST GET DONE SAYING DAVIS!" TK grunted disgustedly. "SHE'S NOT A PRIZE TO BE WON, AND I CARE ABOUT HER TOO MUCH TO REDUCE HER TO THAT LEVEL! IF SHE WANTS YOU THEN SO BE IT, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO STOP BEING HER FRIEND BECAUSE YOUR A JEALOUS JACKASS! IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT TOUGH! YOUR GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT! HOWEVER, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE IT OUT RIGHT NOW JUST TO SETTLE THIS THING BETWEEN YOU AND ME, THEN I'LL BE HAPPY TO OBLIGE SO I CAN FINALLY SHUT THAT BIG MOUTH OF YOURS!"

"SO, NOW YOU DO ADMIT YOU LIKE HER HUH?!"

"DAVIS WOULD YOU GET OFF OF IT ALREADY?!" Noticing people were starting to stare at him, TK calmed himself down and lowered his voice. "Okay, okay! I like Kari! That's what you want to hear isn't it?! If their was even a tiny chance I thought she might feel the same way about me I would've played on it a long time ago! It's just not going to happen. She's never done or said anything to make me think otherwise." Without another word, he resumed walking leaving the stunned Davis behind.

"What is that supposed to mean?! No really what is that supposed to mean?! Is that good or bad?!"

********

Kari sighed, as she melted into the coach practically fusing with it. She thought about what had happened earlier that afternoon, and cringed at the fool she had made of herself. He just seemed to have that kind of effect on her as of late. Every time she'd get near him she always ended up doing or saying something completely stupid, or that made no sense what so ever. She feared TK might start thinking she was a flake or something to that nature. Of course she didn't know there wasn't anything she could do that could make her appear anything less than an angel in TK's eyes. Still, it didn't seem to matter what Kari tried, she just couldn't get TK out of her mind. He'd never been that far from her thoughts since she'd known him, but lately it had become absolutely ridiculous! *Why the hell do I think about him all the time?* She smiled as she realized what she was thinking, and came up with a much better question. *What the hell am I complaining about?* As she did more times than not, she gave in willingly, and let him take over her thoughts. He was like a drug that her brain had developed a dependency on. She still searched for an answer to why. With little deliberation she decided it had to be his eyes. The most majestic color of blue she'd ever seen, a shade she was convinced was his alone. He'd look at her with those things, and her body would go numb. He may have been as sweet as he could be, but she was convinced that somehow they had to be evil. Nothing that could completely posses a body and soul like that could possibly be good. Kari giggled thinking the world could use a little more of that type of evil. She switch gears, and imagined just what she'd and TK would do this summer. She really looked forward to finally having TK around. Maybe she could even work up the nerve to ask him to do something a little more formal...

Kari's daydreaming came to an abrupt end, as the front door slammed violently igniting a loud echo to ring throughout the apartment. She shot a death glare towards the door directed at her brother. He'd just walked in, and was sorting a stack of mail in his hands. "Why don't you slam the door a little harder next time Tai! Some of the tiles are still attached to the ceiling!"

"Excuse me!" Tai laughed. He didn't see his sister that irritated very often, and he thought she was rather cute when she was. Without saying another word to his sister, he started flipping through the stack of envelopes. "Let see here bill, bill, bill.... Letter from Ed McMahon? You may owe me a million dollars?!" Knowing a bad joke from his friend when he saw one, he promptly tossed the piece of junk mail in the trash. 

"I guessing that was from Matt?" Kari asked.

"Yeah. If that geek wants to play a joke you'd figure he'd have enough sense not to put his address on the front of the envelope." Kari giggled, as Tai continued to sort through the mail. He set aside a couple more bills, when he came across something that really appeared to catch his interest. "Hey Kari, it's here!"

"What is it?" 

Tai looked at his sister slyly. "You remember that photography contest in that magazine you entered last month?"  


Kari leapt off the couch like she'd just been kicked off, and charged her brother. "It is really?! That's right the magazine said the results would be in in a month's time! Give it here please!"

"No way!" Tai teased, as he pulled the letter out of Kari's reach.

"Please give it to me Tai!" She begged. She stretched and prodded her arms in every fashion imaginable, and around every body part on Tai's body, but he kept maneuvering it out of her grasp. "Grow up already Taichi! Give it to me! It's mine!"

"No way! I wana see what it says! I'll let you know if you want to read or not."

"Give it to me Tai!" Kari lunged for the letter again, but Tai darted out of her way once again. "I know I didn't have a chance to win, but I still want to see what they thought of my pictures!"

"In that case I'll just have to read it for you!" Tai ripped open the letter, much to Kari's dismay. He held her back with his free arm, and all Kari could do was listen helplessly as Tai read the results aloud. "To Miss Kari Kamiya contestant 147 in Rising Sun Magazine's amateur photography contest." Tai pushed her away one more time, and began pacing around the living room with Kari following his every move. "Thank you for your entry Miss Kamiya. Your beautiful pictures really captured the essence, and serene beauty of the moment. We can tell you put a lot of heart into your work." 

Tai stopped, and read the next part silently to himself apparently trying to absorb what he was reading. Kari listened nervously fearing why Tai had stopped reading aloud, and already blushing from what she had already heard. Finally, Tai smiled brightly, and practically yelled out the rest. "Faced with the material you've sent us compared to the other contestants we were forced with no other alternative. Congratulations Miss Kamiya on becoming our grand prize winner!" 

"You're kidding!" Kari shrieked in disbelief. Catching Tai with his guard down momentarily she snatched the letter from her hand, and read it out silently to herself. Tai wasn't kidding. It was just like he had recited word for word, except for several larger words Tai chose to skip rather than mispronounce. "My god I can't believe it!" Kari jumped up and down excitedly a couple times before engulfing Tai in a massive bear hug. Tai swung her around in celebration, as they both laughed.

"You see Kari?! We all told you that you were good at this, and all you had to do was try! You did, and look what happened!"

"I know, and I'll have to remember to thank everyone again later, but first prize! I can't believe it! This was supposed to be a hobby... I'm not that good!"

"Well, this says you are!" Tai said, as he look down at the letter he had recaptured when he and Kari were embraced. Kari looked at him in surprise for a brief moment before groaning silently to herself. "What was the grand prize again? A one month all expense's paid trip to the United States and Egypt with world-renowned Japanese photographer Yuri Hashinsu! All for the purpose of sharpening your skills in photography..."

"With stops at twelve of the most famous landmarks in the world," Kari said dreamily, remembering the magazine article perfectly. "Including the Sphinx, Niagara Falls, and Lake Victoria...... Wait a second! When does it say the trip starts?"

"This says June 22nd! That's less than a week away! They're not leaving much time to prepare are they?!"

"That's almost my entire summer break..."

"That's a good thing. At least it won't interfere with school. This is a great opportunity for you Kari..." He looked down at his sister, and noticed her cheery expression had changed to a slightly solemn one. "Kari? Are you okay? This was something you wanted wasn't it?"

"Of course it is silly!" she answered, finding her smile again. "I certainly wasn't expecting to win though... I can't wait to tell mom and dad!"

Tai smiled, as he watched his sister race to her bedroom. Kari closed the door behind her, and rested herself against it. She giggled excitedly, overjoyed by the news, but slightly concerned with the sudden change of plans. "It'll be okay. TK will understand."

********

"Kari I know we've been friends a long time... No! That's real original TK! Kari... There's something I value above anything else in the world. Your heart... AH NO! That's way too sappy!"

"Sounds good to me," Matt encouraged. He'd sat there and painfully watched his younger brother going on like this for almost an hour now.

"No, no, no! That's been said a million times! I want to be more original than that!" TK insisted, sorry his brother was even there. He had actually gotten something from his latest confrontation with Davis though he wasn't sure exactly what it was. For some reason right afterwards, he decided he had to find a way to tell her... He was in the middle of trying to find a way how when Yomato decided to drop in unexpectedly, and caught him in the act. "The last thing I want to do come up with something so simple Davis could think of it!" 

"Don't make it anything to fancy TK," Matt suggested. "No need to over do it. Just be yourself. Kari seems to like you just fine."

"Yeah she does," TK laughed weakly. "Just not quite the way I want her to."

"Are you really that blind?" 

"What is that supposed to mean?" TK asked, clearly unsure what his brother meant by that. 

Matt simply smiled and shook his head. "Nothing TK. Now that I think about it overdoing it just might be being yourself TK. You've always been one to put 110% into everything you do." 

TK smiled. "You can call it that if you want to. I just want this to be special. Something we'll both remember long after she slaps the taste out of my mouth, and rejects me."

"What makes you so sure she's going to reject you TK?!"

"Come on Matt!" he pleaded, not wanting to explain this to his brother. "Kari doesn't feel that way about me. Why would she? I mean she's gorgeous! She's an angel... She deserves a lot better than I could ever offer her."

"And what could anyone else give that you couldn't?"

"You know... Everything! I'm not exactly what most people would call good looking..."

Matt seemed to grow very annoyed at that comment. "What are you trying to say Takeru? In case you've forgotten most people say that... YOU LOOK JUST LIKE ME!"

TK sweat dropped, forgetting his brother's rather large and easily bruised ego. "Well, I don't look exactly like you Matt... Anyway, if Kari really did have those kind of feelings for me don't you think she would've told me by now?"

"Well, let me put it this way. I can imagine Tai and Kari having this exact same conversation right now, and Kari saying...." Matt put his hands under his chin, and mimicked his best little girl's voice impression. "If TK really did have those kind of feelings for me don't you think he would've told me by now?"

TK sweat dropped again, sensing he was losing this argument. "Okay, okay I get your point! I know I've taken my sweet time with this, but Kari's different."

"I've got to remember to tell me she can strike out becoming a lawyer for you. You can't even build up a decent case to prosecute yourself!"

"I'm not trying to prosecute myself!" he yelped, growing defensive. "I happen to like myself very much. I know I'm not perfect that's all."

"Are you still going to tell her," Matt asked, getting back to the root of the subject.

"I have all intentions to. I can't keep hiding it forever. I use to think Davis use to single me out just because he was jealous, but by the way he's talking lately he may actually be on to something. I really want Kari to hear it from me, and not somewhere else."

"Do you really love her?" the interrogation continued.

"Of course I do!" Simply the easiest question he ever answered. 

"Just making sure before you run off and do this. One last question. Can you live without here?"

TK had to think about that one for a moment. "Yeah, I can live without her. I'd have to. I just don't want to."

All Matt could do was smile. "Good answer bro. I don't want you to be to heart broken if things don't work out."

"I can't promise that," TK laughed. "Oh, and Matt. There is one thing I can give Kari that no one else can, and I plan on giving it to here when I tell her."

"Oh, and what's that?"

"I'll give you a hint. It didn't cost me a dime, but it can be the most valuable thing in the world in the hands of the right person."

Matt frowned. "TK, you know I hate riddles!"

"It's not a riddle," TK smirked. "It's just a matter of fact."

********

TK sat silently slumped into his chair in a corner of the computer room. Kari had asked all of her friends to meet there after school because she had something important she wanted to say, and wanted to tell all of them at once. He was extremely nervous, but that wasn't the reason why. He decided that was the night he was going to confess himself to her. He saw no point in prolonging it any further. After she said what she needed to say he was going to take her off somewhere alone, and pour his heart out to her. The only small glitch he had to worry about involved the owner of the set of eyes staring a hole through him on the other side of the room. Davis hadn't removed his gaze from TK once since he walked in the door. His eyes seemed to hold a little added distain towards him that afternoon. Apparently he was still smarting from the conversation they had the day before. The honest truth was TK was sick and tired of this personal little feud he had going with Davis. A feud he wanted no part of, but Davis kept pushing and pushing to a point where TK had to push back before Davis shoved him over the edge. He remembered very clearly how his brother Matt and Tai would fight all the time when they were his age, but now they were the best of friends. It was different with him and Davis somehow. Matt and Tai at least tried to get along, and they did from time to time. Davis on the other hand didn't seem willing to make peace at all. He wouldn't even dislike the boy so much, if Davis wouldn't act like such a prick to him all the time. And to think all of it was over a supposed relationship between TK and Kari that didn't even really exist yet, and one between Davis and Kari that only existed in Davis's own personal fantasy world. The only reason. TK had never done anything else to insult or rile Davis up in anyway, so that had to be it. The tension was so thick at times, then even came to blows more than once. From the way Davis was looking at him things looked about ready to erupt to that point again, if it hadn't been for Ken sitting across the room. He held a stern gaze on both of them, like a mother would give to her children saying you'd two better behave or else. TK wasn't completely innocent himself, as he himself shot Davis a couple threatening glances of his own, still upset over a few of Davis's comments from the same conversation. He was more than ready and willing to come to blows if Davis was so inclined to push it to that point.

Ken moved his eyes back and forth to each boy concerned by the intense looks on both their faces. Davis and TK never did see eye-to-eye, but Ken noticed they'd been particularly hostile towards each other lately. Today seemed to be worse that it ever had been before. Ken decided it would a good idea to stay between them, and make sure they got through the day without dismembering each other. He knew Davis wasn't afraid to fight, and he learned that TK knew how to throw a punch the hard way. Yolie and Cody were behind them staring at one of the computer screens, apparently oblivious to the entire situation. The tense mood was finally shattered when a rather jubilant looking Kari bounced in the room, shutting the door behind her.

"Kari!" TK and Davis both called her name simultaneously. They looked at each other and frowned. Ken looked at Kari, then back at them and sweat dropped.

"Hey Kari, what's the big news?" Yolie asked.

"I don't mean to be a bother, but can you make it quick?" Cody requested. "I don't want to be late for kendo practice with Grandpa. I'm too tired to even try to attempt to understand one of his lectures today."

"This won't take me long Cody," Kari promised, before doing a quick head count to make sure ever one was there. "Do you guys remember that contest I entered for amateur photographers last month?"

Yolie would be the one to answer. "How could we not?! We had to help push you into doing it remember?!"

"I remember, and thanks to all of you for believing in me." Kari giggled unable to help getting excited. "You're not going to believe this, but I won first prize!"

After a few scattered shocked expressions from her friends, everyone swarmed Kari at once congratulating her. Only TK stood in back of the rest of the group.

"You see, I told you could do it didn't I?!" Davis bragged, as he put his hand on her shoulder.

"What exactly did you say was first prize for that contest anyway?" Ken asked.

"A one month trip to both Egypt and the US," TK answered for her, as he finally walked into the group sporting a big smile. Kari had told him all about the contest and the grand prize before she even decided to enter. "She's going to get the chance to photograph some of the most famous landmarks in the world, with one of Japan's most renowned photographers."

Davis looked ready to have a coronary. "Wait a minute! A whole month?!"

"Yes," Kari replied. "Starting this Friday."

"That's an awfully long time," Yolie noticed. "Hey, if anybody deserves it's you!"

"She's right. I hope you have fun." Cody added.

"Are you guys listening to what you're saying?!" Davis bellowed, clearly not seeing things in a positive light. "An entire month?! She can't go! We need her here!" He looked at Kari who in turn suddenly felt guilty, and looked at the ground.

"Of course she's going to go Davis!" Yolie yelled, as she got up in Davis face. "She won this contest fair and square! She's your friend, and you should be supporting her JUST LIKE THE REST OF US!"

"But what about us?!" Davis challenged. "She's just going to run off for a month, and leave her friends here high and dry! What if were needed in the Digital World again! A lot of good she's going to do us half a world away!"

"Calm down Davis!" TK placed his hand on Davis's shoulder, and resisted the urge to pop his head of his shoulders. "This is a big opportunity for her, and she can't pass it up!" 

"I will not calm down!" Davis barked, as he slapped TK's arm away. "You might want her to leave, but I don't! She's your best friend, and your trying to get rid of her?!"

Kari was still huddled against the door, and by this time had gotten very upset. "Guys... Maybe I should think this through a little more. If you'll excuse I think I need to get some air." She opened the door quickly, and practically flew outside.

"Kari wait!" TK called after her.

Yolie looked at Davis disgustedly as the door slammed behind her. None of the others had very kind expressions to offer him either, but Yolie was the only one facing him. "Now look what you did you big jerk! She might actually consider not going now!"

"What did I do?!" Davis asked dumbly.

Davis was caught by surprise as he felt a rather strong hand grab him by the arm, and drag him to the far corner of the computer lab. Davis shook his arm lose from TK's grasp, and glared at an equally unhappy set of blue eyes. "What do you think your doing TM! Don't you ever grab me like that again!"

Though most people would've already resorted to putting his lights out right there, and TK was tempted, he talked to Davis calmly instead of whacking him. "Look this is something Kari's always dreamed of, and I'm not going to let you ruin it for her! That's your problem right there. Your being selfish, all you've thought about is you, and how you feel. You didn't stop for a second to think what's best for Kari. The world doesn't revolve around you Davis! Get that through your head! We're talking about one measly month during one summer of your lifetime, up against one month that could help pave the road Kari takes for the rest of her life!"

What Davis did next was unexpected. TK was all but ready for Davis to come firing back at him, our try to defend himself in someway. Instead, Davis sort of mumbled quietly, and look at the ground in defeat. In a final response, Davis grunted, and turned around to begin staring out the window. 

*Damn! He's right... Why the hell is he always right?! Does he always have to go out of his way to let me know what a jerk I am?!... Damn him!* 

TK shook his head, and motioned for the door. "I'm going to talk to Kari. If I know her as well as I think I do she's probably considering bailing out as we speak."

"Oh no you don't!" Davis shouted, suddenly springing back to life. "I'll talk to her!" He sprinted for the door, but Ken stuck his arm out to block his path.

"Let him handle it Davis. He is her best friend. Besides, you've done enough damage as it is."

"But why should he go after her, instead of me?!" Davis demanded.

"I shouldn't have to answer that Davis," Ken replied. "Even you're not that naive."

TK found Kari a little ways down the hall, huddled up against a section of wall that was partially shielded by a row of lockers, examining her shoes. TK approached her with his typical warm and friendly smile.

"Hey Kari. You okay?"

"I'm fine. Just thinking?" she replied, titling her head up slightly. "You need something?"

"I never got the chance to congratulate you on winning that trip. I can tell how excited you were."

"I was," Kari sighed. "But I've been thinking about what Davis said... I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet."

TK frowned. "What are you talking about?! Of course you're going to go! This is your big chance, and you can't pass it up! This is something you've been wanting isn't it?"

"A dream come true almost," Kari sighed again. "It's just when I found out I won I never really thought about leaving my friends, or considered something happening in the Digital World."

"Is that all your worried about?! So what if something happens in the Digital World?!" TK laughed. "I guess you were to upset to remember, but you can get to the Digital World anytime your needed, as long as your near a computer!"

"That's true," she admitted. "But..."

"Don't worry about us either Kari," he interrupted. "Davis has a big mouth, and he's not use to thinking before he speaks. He was just upset over hearing you were going to be gone so long, but deep down he's happy for you too. This could be a once in a lifetime opportunity, and you'll regret it if you miss out on it. Sure we'll all miss you, especially me, but we'll all be here when you get back. Hey, it's only a month!" 

Kari looked up at him, and smiled. "The glass is always half full to you huh?" 

"When I'm thirty enough it is."

Kari giggled before giving TK a big hug. Though nether one of them gave it a second thought, they both enjoyed it a lot more than they would let on. "You're to good to me TK. Thanks for always being there for me."

"Hey, it's nothing you wouldn't do for me," TK said, as he reluctantly removed his arms from around her. 

*Why does he always show me up?! Why?! Why?! Why?! Look at them... Friends my ass!* Davis thought, as he watched them through the door which was open just a crack. The school had emptied out considerably by that time of day, and all the kids in the computer room could hear everything TK and Kari had said. "He's making a fool out of me!"

"I don't know why he bothers," Ken said. "You've been doing a good enough job of that yourself."

Davis was ready to comment on Ken's wisecrack, but Kari and TK picked that moment to walk back into the lab causing Davis to divert his attention to her. "Kari! I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't really mean it, I was just shocked. I'm really sorry."

"It's okay Davis, I forgive you. I know you were just upset at the thought of me leaving. I don't how you're going to manage surviving without me around for an entire month!"

"Thanks Kari." Davis sighed in relief, and smiled. "It'll be tough, but I'll manage. I know you'll do a great job. Hey! I want to see all your pictures when you get back!"

"So I guess that means your going," Cody deduced.

Kari nodded her head in confirmation. "Yep." 

"In that case maybe we should have a going away party for you before you leave on Friday!" Yolie suggested. "Since your going away for most of the summer we should at least spend what little time we have with you in style!"

"That's a great idea Yolie!" Davis agreed. "Maybe I'll even reward you with a goodbye kiss? What do you think Kari."

"Thanks, but I think I'll pass Davis." Kari smiled happily, as she listen to her friends give their suggestions on what they should do for the party. It made things a lot easier knowing she had the support of all her friends. She gave a quick look to TK, who smiled back at her. He seemed happy for her, but she could tell something was bothering him deep down. Like their was something eating away at his mind. She wondered what it was.

End.

To be continued.... Maybe.

-So, what do you think? Should I bother continuing with this or not? This installment was mostly a mood setter. Most of the juicy mushy stuff will be coming up in part 2, I promise. 


	2. Default Chapter

(Howdy! After receiving several threats against my well being if I didn't, I decided it would be in my best interest to submit chapter 2. I noticed a lot of readers were wondering what TK was going to give Kari... I thought it would be too obvious, but maybe that's just because I wrote it. Anyway, most of the mushy crap will take place in this installment. Eh, I love it! I hope this doesn't disappoint you!)

Warning: This fic contains mind numbing sap and mush that may cause some to cry, and others to vomit. Remember you've been warned, so don't come whining to me if it happens.

Please Take it... Chapter 2

"That's perfect!" TK chimed excitedly to his reflection in the mirror. "I just hope I can say this to her face without losing my nerve. It may sound really good in my head right now, but that doesn't mean it's going to come out of my mouth exactly the way I want it to."

"Ain't that the truth. I can't count how many times that's happened to me."

TK jumped at the sound of the voice, and the image of his brother appearing behind his reflection. He was standing in the bathroom doorway chowing down on a hotdog. 

"Why is it every time I look over my shoulder lately you seem to be there Yomato?!" he asked, clearly irritated. "Don't you have anything better to do than spy on me?!"

"When I'm not at band practice no," Matt replied before taking another bite of his diner. He swallowed quickly and continued. "Besides, now you've gotten me curious. You've been trying to come up with some Romeo-like way to tell Kari you love her for the last week, and as far as I know you've done absolutely nothing so far. She's leaving for Egypt tonight, and then you'll have to wait a least another month before you get another chance. I just don't want to see you wus out, and then regret it later."

"I'm not going to wus out," TK assured him. "It won't be easy, but I'm going to do it. I have to. It's the perfect time really. She'll have an entire month to think it over, and I won't have to worry about seeing her everyday and things being awkward. Besides, I'm as brave as I'm going to get right now, and if I don't go through with it tonight I may never work up the nerve again."

"Have faith in yourself little bro," Matt encouraged. "Don't worry about how Kari's going to react so much. I think your going to be pleasantly surprised."

"I know this may sound strange coming from me, but I'm not going to get my hopes up just to have them dashed. I'm just going to tell her, and let what happens happen."

Matt smiled in defeat, and shook his head. "Have it your way TK. By the way, Kari's party is going to be starting soon. You better get going, or you won't get a chance to tell her at all."

"I'm not going to the party," TK said flatly.

"Your not?!" Matt asked in shock. "What are you going to do then?"

"I'm going to tell her at the airport right before she leaves," TK explained. "Just in case she gets upset or something, I can make sure she gets on that plane."

"That may be a good idea," Matt agreed, but he had a different view on why she'd change her mind about leaving. Of course TK wouldn't believe that for a second, so he didn't bother bringing it up. "But won't she be upset if you're not at the party?"

"Maybe, but she probably won't even notice I'm missing with all the others there."

"Some how I think she will," Matt groaned. 

"Don't worry Matt. I already called, and told her I wouldn't be able to make it," TK assured him. "I want her to have absolutely no idea it's coming. Not that she would've anyway."

"How do you plan on getting to the airport?"

TK looked up at his brother and grinned. "Well, I was hoping you could help me out with that."

"Oh really?!" Matt laughed. "I thought you swore that you'd never climb inside a car with me again?!"

"I still have nightmares," TK cringed. Matt had gotten his listen a little more than a month earlier, and how on earth he passed that test TK would never know. He had stepped inside the car with Matt one time, and vowed he'd never dare ride with his brother again baring a life or death situation. "I said I wouldn't unless it was a life or death situation, but this is close enough for me!"

"No problem bro," Matt agreed. "I really want to see how things go anyway."

"Just promise me you'll get me there alive."

"You'll be fine!" Matt snapped. "Maybe you should try eating something before we go?"

TK felt his stomach churned. "I don't think so. I'm not sure I can stomach much of anything right now."

Matt nodded his head in agreement. "I can understand why you'd be a bundle of nerves right now. I still think you should go to the party though."

"No, I'm going to stick with my plan. I could use the extra time to compose myself anyway."

"Have it your way TK," Matt sighed. "Do what you have to do. Good luck."

Matt left TK alone to stare at his reflection some more. He looked deep into his own blue eyes, and sighed. "Luck. I can use a lot of it, but I'm afraid that's going to have nothing to do with this. 

********

"Good-bye Kari!" Yolie sobbed, as she seized Kari in a long hug. She knew this would be the last time she'd have a chance to see her in a long time, so she was reluctant to let go. The party had gone well without a hitch, and only Yolie and Davis remained at the Kamiya's both reluctant to leave. "I'm really going to miss you!"

"I'm going to miss you too Yolie," Kari giggled with an obvious note of sadness in her voice. Yolie noticed this all afternoon, and she knew it wasn't all because she was leaving later that evening.

"I'm sorry TK couldn't make it Kari. I know that kind of spoiled things for you."

"Don't be silly, everything was great!" Kari assured her. She looked at the door and sighed. "I guess the chances of him walking in and surprising me at the last minute are getting slim huh?"

"I'm sure he had a good reason," Yolie said.

"Or maybe he just doesn't care," Davis snipped, as he walked up behind them. It didn't break his heart not to see TK there, but his failure to show up pissed Davis off royally since he knew how upset Kari was over it.

"Don't talk like that Davis! Of course he does!" Yolie snapped.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm just saying he should've been here! What could be more important than Kari anyway?! Whatever the case I'm here for you Kari. I wouldn't have missed this for the world."

"You know I hate to admit it, but I'm going to miss you Davis." Kari smiled, and hesitated for a moment. 

"Ah what the heck! Just this once." She lunged forward, and gave Davis a friendly hug. 

Davis's face went red, and he literally went numb out of shock that Kari actually hugged him. Yolie had to drag Davis out of the apartment, as Kari laughed and waved good-bye to them. Just as they disappeared, another familiar face came into view. "Hey Sora! You're back!"

Kari greeted her with a friendly hug. "I guess the parties over. You holding up okay little sister?"

"I'm fine."

"You be sure to have a great time. We're all pulling for you."

"I will... If you'll excuse me I need to get ready. I have to leave for the airport in an hour."

********

The hour before Kari had to leave went by very slowly, but somehow seemed to fly by at the same time. Several more long and difficult good-byes didn't do much to help matters. Davis, Yolie, Cody, and Ken all surprised her at the airport for one final farewell, and moral support. Davis tried to act tough, but in the end he wound up crying his eyes out. Now as she stared down the terminal gate all that remained were her parents, Tai, and Izzie who had tagged along. (For the sole purpose of sneaking him into this story at least once) Hugging her parents good-bye was hard enough as it was, but Tai was even worse. Not any more emotional mind you, it was just that Tai seemed unwilling to let go.

"Tai, I'm going to miss you too, but please let go! My plane leaves in ten minutes!"

"Oh I'm sorry." Tai blushed, as he realized what he was doing. "I just hate the thought of not being able to be there to protect you. Best of luck to you Kari."

"Don't worry I'll be fine Tai," Kari snickered.

"May your expedition be an enlightening and enjoyable one," Izzie added.

"I'm sure I will," Kari said. "Whatever you just said Izzie."

Kari waved good-bye to her friend and family before she walked into gate 29 to find her a seat. She noticed they hung around for brief while longer before finally deciding it was time to go. After they disappeared into the endless mass of humanity, Kari immediately began searching her eyes over the area looking for someone she expected to be there. To her disappointment he was nowhere in sight. "Where is he?! He promised he'd be here since he couldn't make the party... He has to be here somewhere. He wouldn't do this to me!"

"You looking for me?"

Kari jumped out of her seat, and found a for once hatless TK standing behind her. She reached over the back of her chair, and locked her arms in a death grip around his chest. "There you are! I knew you wouldn't let me leave without saying goodbye!"

"Of course I wouldn't! What kind of guy do you think I am?" TK asked in mock disbelief. "This is a big day for you, and I'm here to support you all the way!"

"I really wish you were going with me. That would make things a whole lot easier."

"I wish I were going too! Most people never get a chance to see the thing your going to see with their own eyes," he said, as he walked around the row of chairs, and took the seat next to Kari's. "Your a very lucky girl your know Kari. And very talented."

Kari blushed. "I don't know how talented I am, but I'm definitely lucky. I can't wait to see Niagara Falls. It looks so romantic in all the pictures I've seen. I've always wanted to see it with my own eyes."

"That's in New York isn't it? Where Mimi lives?"

"I think so, yes." Silenced followed for a few seconds after that. Kari blushed again, feeling TK's eyes staring down at her. She looked up, her cheeks still tinted red, and noticed a bit of a half smile on his face. He kind of looked like he wanted to say something, but just couldn't quite come out with the words. "TK..."

"Kari... I have a gift I'd like to give to you before you leave."

"You didn't have to do that TK. But since you did what is...."

Kari felt her heart flutter as TK sat up from his chair and kneeled down in front of her. He smiled wide for her, and looked into her eyes, which turned out to be a big mistake. They both froze, and sat there like statues lost in each other's gaze. TK lost all trace of what he was thinking and what he was going say, and poor Kari wouldn't have been able to tell you her name if you'd happen to ask her. For that brief time, all they could see was each other's face staring back at them. Everything else around them was a mood point. All of a sudden Kari noticed TK's nose start to twitch, and the only possible thing that could have ruined that moment happened.

"ACHOO!" TK sneezed breaking the air, and splashing his mucus all over Kari's beautiful face. Kari just stood there dumfounded looking like well... Like someone had just sneezed in her face. Of course the first thing TK did was panic. "Oh my god! Kari I'm so sorry! I'm so stupid! Here let me help you clean that off." He pulled a handkerchief out his back pocket, and proceeded to wipe Kari's face clean with it.

"That's okay TK..." She answered mercifully. "I know you didn't mean it... I appreciate the thought, but I'd rather you kept your DNA to yourself!"

"I'm sorry! That's not what I planned I swear!"

"I sure hope not!" she laughed. "You better hurry, you don't have much time. My plane's going to be boarding any minute now."

"I know, I know!" TK groaned, as he looked all around him. "Just give me one minute to recompose myself."

Kari watched TK pace around the outside of the gate, and could her him cursing himself rather clearly. After a minute of beating himself up, he came back and knelt in front of her again. This time he clasped her right hand in both of his, causing her face to gush bright red. He looked into her eyes again, and Kari just melted. "I'm sorry about that Kari. I promise that won't happen again... Now I've got something to tell you, and it's really important to me."

"Kay..." was all Kari could manage to squeak out.

"Kari... How long have we been friends?"

"About five years now," she stuttered. "Why?"

"Is that it? It feels like I've known you forever, but it hasn't been near long enough. You're my best friend, and you know I value you too much to ever jeopardize that."

"I know TK," Kari laughed. "I feel the same way..."

"Please let me finish," TK requested. "I don't have much time, so I need to say this quick. You know I'd never do anything to hurt you on purpose, but I've been holding this in for way to long. Forgive me if this is bad timing, but I have to tell you now before I lose my nerve. I care about you a lot, and I always have. I know you've known that, but it's not in the way your thinking. There's something I want to give to you before you go Kari... My heart. I love you Kari." TK heard her gasp slightly and noticed her eyes widen, but besides that her expression didn't change. "Please don't argue with me. You don't have a choice but to take it, and I can't take it back even if I wanted to. It's not like I had much choice in the matter either. I lost my claim to it from the first time I met you, and I don't feel right keeping something that doesn't belong to me. It's yours now so do what you want with it. You can throw it to the ground and stomp it into the dirt, or throw it into the ocean and let it sink to the bottom if that's what you so please. It would be my wish that you'd hold it close to yours for the rest of your life, but it's all up to you. I hate to spring this on you so suddenly, but this had to be said. You don't have to answer me right now, or ever if you don't want to. I'll know what it means. Silence speaks for itself after all. Good-bye Kari. Have a wonderful trip."

TK placed a small slit of paper in her hand, before getting up to leave. As he walked away TK looked back, and noticed Kari didn't even bother to look back at him. She just sat there staring straight ahead, with her hands resting in her lap. TK was most surprised by her reaction. Her face was so dormant he couldn't tell if she was shocked, disgusted, or what the heck she was feeling. He wasn't expecting her to jump into his arms and kiss him, slap him in the face or anything that overemotional, but he did expect something. Anything! She didn't say nor do anything. Feeling a tugging pain in his chest, he walked as fast as he could towards the exit. As he walked away one thing preyed upon his mind. *I hope I didn't just lose the best friend I ever had.*

In the meantime Kari sat there in a total state of shock. She was paralyzed unable to move, staring blankly into space unsure that what just happened had really just happened. She was like a motionless, unfeeling blob stuck in emotional limbo unable to think or do anything clearly. She sat there silently until a blonde haired woman came by and literally shook her out of her trance. "Miss Kamiya, if you'd please come back to reality, the plane is boarding now! If you don't hurry it's going to take off without us!"

Kari stared up at the woman blankly not able to do much else. She recognized the woman as an employee from the contest sent to escort her to Egypt. The woman helped her to her feet, and Kari almost unconsciously walked with her onto the airplane.

TK stumbled into the parking lot where Matt was waiting for him in his car. "So, how did it go?" Matt asked impatiently, as TK hopped into the passenger seat, and shut the door behind him. "What was her reaction?"

"There wasn't one," TK sighed depressingly. 

"What do you mean there wasn't one?"

"I mean there was no reaction! She didn't say nor do anything, and had this weird look on her face. She didn't even look at me after I left."

"I wouldn't worry about that TK," Matt told him. "You probably took her by surprise that's all."

"Maybe," TK sighed. "I guess I'll just have to wait. That's okay though. I can wait for her forever."

Deciding not to pry into his brother's business any further, Matt nodded his head and fired up the car. TK was suddenly faced with a strange feeling of emptiness in his chest. Yes, of course his heart was still there physically, but spiritually it was laying in the hands of a young girl sitting in an airplane headed for Africa.

That same girl sat in her airplane seat like a stone, still an expressionless mess staring at the back of the chair in front of her as if it were a Picasso. Her guide for the trip had noticed Kari had been like this since the plane took off twenty minutes earlier, and she was beginning to worry. "Are you okay Kari hon? Your not afraid of flying are you?"

Kari looked at the woman who, at that moment, was about as interesting to her as an in-depth discussion on calculus. She remembered the woman's name was Angie. She had met her earlier that day, and decided she liked her. She had a sweet and charming personality, and she was rather attractive to. She had long blonde hair, and a sparkling set of blue eyes. After staring at her with dead eyes for a moment, she finally muttered the first words that escaped her lips in almost half an hour. "Huh? No thank you Ma'am. I'm not thirsty."

Angie's eyes widened in surprise, but she smiled soon after. "I get it. Does the way you're acting have something to do with that boy you were talking to in the terminal?"

"What? No I'm not sleepy right now."

"Oh, I see," Angie laughed. "So it is boy trouble. Oh well. We'll talk about it later."

********

Many hours later Kari's plane landed at Cairo International Airport. Kari managed to find her way back to reality, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what had been on her mind the entire trip. They battled their way through customs, tracked their way to her hotel, and she even got to meet Mrs. Hashinsu. It wasn't until she was locked away in her hotel room when the reality of what had happened slammed into her like a speeding train. Her shock had turned into despair, and she'd spent the majority of the last two hours sobbing into her pillow while berating herself.

"I should've said something! He tells me what I've always dreamed of hearing him say, and I just sit there like a zombie! Lord knows what he must think of me right now..."

Kari couldn't take it anymore, so she broke down and picked up the phone. She quickly dialed the number she knew by heart, and waited impatiently as the phone rang over and over. She felt guilty about calling that late at night, but she couldn't help herself. It was pretty late by Egypt standards, and she could only imagine how late it was in Japan by then. Finally the phone picked up, and a groggy TK said hello from the other end.

"TK? It's me Kari."

"Kari!" He said excitedly, as he sat straight up in his bed. He looked at the clock, which was flashing 2:30, but he could care less about the time at the moment. "What's up? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine." Kari sighed in relief that TK was still talking to her, as TK did the same on the other end. "I just really needed to talk to you. I know it must be late. I'm sorry if I woke you."

"That's okay Kari. I couldn't sleep anyway... You know I'd love to talk to you, but the phone bill for this is going to be outrageous!"

"Don't worry about it!" Kari giggled. "This trip is all expenses paid, and that includes any phone calls I make. They weren't expecting me to go an entire month without keeping in touch with home. They assured me I could call whenever I needed to."

"That's good." TK sighed with relief. "So, what's on your mind?"

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I acted at the airport. I was surprised that's all. You forgive me don't you?"

"Of course I do! You scared me a little, but I forgive you."

"Thanks TK."

The call went on for another ten minutes or so until Kari decided to let TK go so he could get some sleep. Though she apologized for not responding to him, she didn't bring the subject up once during the rest of their conversation. TK still didn't have an answer, but that wasn't what was important at the moment. After hanging up the phone, TK sighed in relief and lay back down on his bed. "At least we're still friends. That's all the really matters right now."

********

TK groaned as he watched the basketball bound off the backboard, and plummet to the ground completely missing the net for the umpteenth time that afternoon. He couldn't concentrate, and it showed. It had been almost two weeks since Kari had left for Egypt, and he missed her horribly. He tried everything to get her off his mind at least briefly, but even basketball wasn't helping. The image of her face kept popping up in his mind, blocking everything else from view including the rim and the backboard. She called just about every night around 8:00, and they'd talk for at least half an hour. He wound up spending most of his days just looking forward to that.

"You're obviously not yourself today," Ken commented, as he picked up the basketball that had conveniently bounced right to him. He jumped and released, and watched as the ball swished through the net. "That makes three times I've beaten you. I haven't even done it once before today."

"I've only played you once or twice before today," TK joked, obviously trying to change the subject. "You don't usually get out much. That kind of makes me think you have another reason for showing up here today besides just shooting hoops."

"I better be careful, you're getting to know me a little to well. That's not necessarily a good thing in the long run." 

"I'll be the judge of that," TK said, as he took his shot. This time it at least hit the rim before bounding back out.

Ken smiled, and looked around the playground outside of the basketball court. The park was unusually empty for mid-afternoon on a summer's day. "That's funny. Davis said the exact same thing. Maybe you two do have something in common."

"I have nothing in common with him!" TK sneered, as he picked up his ball.

"Except for Kari you mean."

TK jerked, causing the ball to roll off his fingers, and smack him right between the eyes. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, as the ball bounded away. "What do you mean by that?!"

"I really think you should bury the hatchet with Davis," he said, quickly changing the subject. "At first I didn't think it mattered that you guys didn't see eye-to-eye all the time, but lately this thing's have gotten out of hand!"

"Then go talk to Davis about it!" TK barked, as he went to get the basketball. "He's the one that instigates all of it." He bent down, and picked up the ball. "He's been worse then he's ever been lately! What other choice do I have but to fight back! To tell you the truth I think that little goof could use a good punch in the teeth!"

"A lot of times I'm inclined to agree with that, but it doesn't solve anything! All that results in is more punches thrown!" Ken scolded, as TK started to pace around the court tossing his ball in the air. "It's not like your completely innocent yourself you know. Just by the tone of voice you're using when you make reference to him, and your willingness to fight! You haven't done much of anything but fan the flames! It takes two to tango you know?"

"And what would you like me to do Ken?!" TK barked, unaware his voice was rising. "Davis is always going to hate me, and nothing's going to change that! The only reason he dislikes me is because he doesn't like me anywhere near Kari, and that's not going to change because of that jealous lunatic!"

"I didn't say it had to!" Ken fired back getting defensive. "I don't agree with the way he handles it, but I can't blame him for getting a little jealous. Okay, very jealous. You guys do kind of flaunt it in his face..."

"Flaunt what?!" TK mocked, with a look of clear disbelief. "We don't flaunt anything! Kari flirts with me sometimes, but that's just to make Davis jealous!"

"To tell the truth, I know she gets a kick out of seeing Davis steamed, but I think it's more of a cover." Ken smirked, noticing the funny look TK was giving him. "Whether you want to accept it or not, she obviously likes you as more than just a friend! I mean come on TK! Just a couple days before she left for Egypt, Yolie, Cody, and I sat at the lunch table snickering because she was sitting there staring at you for almost fifteen minutes! I don't think either one of you even noticed!"

"What?... I... I... I don't know about that Ken."

"Think about this TK," Ken continued. "Do you see Davis getting upset when anybody else is with Kari? I mean besides from when someone's flat out hitting on her? Take me for instance. Davis never gets mad or jealous when I talk to Kari."

TK's eyes widened. "Yes... I have noticed now that you mention it. That is kind of strange."

"Not really TK. I notice little things like that all the time, and don't be so foolish to think Davis doesn't to. He does, and he hates it. The times when Kari blatantly flirts with you just rubs salt into the wound. Davis honestly thinks you guys are trying to rub it in his face. That's why he dislikes you so much"

"I had no idea..." TK's face drooped, then he frowned. "Still it's no excuse for him to act the way he does!"

"I know, but Davis is Davis," Ken sighed. "All I'm asking is for you to try to make peace with him. The first steps have to be taken somewhere, and like you said their not going to come from Davis."

"I'll think about it Ken. That's all I can promise right now." TK released another jump shot, and this time the ball sailed clear over the backboard. TK grunted, and folded his arms across his chest.

"I guess girls can do that to you," Ken cracked. TK whirled around, and eyed him curiously. "Well, I've got to go. I've got some other business I need to take care of. I'll see you later."

"Bye Ken," TK said, as he left to retrieve his ball. By the time he got back Ken was already long gone. "I wonder what he meant by that? What does he know exactly..."

"He has a good point though. I must've seen you take thousands of those shots, and I've never seen you miss that badly."

TK searched for a face to go with the voice, when his eyes landed upon a young man sitting on a bench near half court. He was a blue-eyed man with rather long blonde hair. He could easily be mistaken for a girl if seen from behind. "Coach Tamon! How long have you been here?"

"Long enough," he replied, as he sat up and walked towards TK. He was a student teacher at school, only a couple years out of college, and an assistant coach to the basketball team. TK held a lot of respect for him, and liked him a lot. Since he was younger he almost seemed like one of the guys at times rather than just a teacher. "Still out here playing basketball huh? I heard you turned down going to basketball camp this summer."

"Yeah. I did have other plans, but they fell through. To tell you the truth I don't think my heart would've been in it anyway." TK's heart fluttered at the irony of what he'd just said.

"So I see," he replied. "That wouldn't have anything to do with that girl you and your friend were talking about would it? Kari Kamiya I believe her name is isn't it? I remember her. She was one of your biggest cheerleaders wasn't she?"

"Yeah," TK laughed. "I was looking forward to spending the summer with her, but a big opportunity came up for her that she couldn't pass on. She's traveling outside the country for at least the next two and half weeks."

"Ewe! I know what you're going through buddy," he said, as he patted his chest with his fist. "My fiancée works for a magazine, and she's half a world away right now. It's always hard when she leaves on those long trips abroad, but we both hold hope knowing it's only going to be until she gets out of school."

"Speaking of school, are you going to be back next year?"

"I'm sorry but no. I'm going back to finish school myself. Coaching basketball at the school's been nice, but I eventually want to become a fulltime teacher. I'm just not going to accomplish that on the road I'm on right now. Well I've got to be off. Maybe I'll see you around somewhere. I hope everything works out for you."

"I understand," TK said disappointedly. "Thank you... By the way... I hope you don't mind me asking, but I don't remember ever hearing your first name."

"No I don't mind at all. It's Pat. So long TK." He waved and went off on his way.

"Bye Coach... Wait a second?! Pat Tamon?.... I must be imagining things!"

********

Kari gulped as she watched Angie raise one of her photographs over her head, examining it through the dim red light illuminating the darkroom. The look on her face was hard to read. As it turned out Kari rarely saw the famous Mrs. Hashinsu at all in the time she'd been in Egypt, and Angie was the one Kari spent most of her time working with. Kari didn't mind at all however. Though she respected Mrs. Hashinsu's opinion she hadn't even heard of her until she entered the contest, and it didn't really matter much to Kari that she rarely saw her. She really liked working with Angie anyway, and could tell how much she loved photography. Finally, Angie smiled down at her, relieving the tension. "Not bad Kari... But I am a little disappointed in something."

"What is that?" Kari asked.

"It's well... Your pictures do catch the moment well. The one of the Gobi desert floor is especially amazing. The things is... How do I put this? They just don't seem to have as much passion, and excitement as your entries into the contest we fell in love with. I've always been a firm believer that the way the picture comes out in the end reflects the way the photographer's feeling when they snap that picture. Kind of like an artist and their paintings."

"You really think so?" Kari asked nervously. "That you can see how the photographer feels in the picture?... What does it feel then?"

"Well the scenes look gloomy, and lonely," She answered as she hung the picture on the line above the table. "Like theirs something missing, almost like it's incomplete. Kind of like the person taking the picture's got a lot on her mind. Like she's confused about something."

"You can tell all that from a picture?!" Kari gasped in disbelief. Of course her mind had been on other things besides her pictures over the past two weeks, but how could Angie possibly have guessed all that through a couple measly pictures! She blushed, and lowered her head. "Not that I'm actually feeling that way, but your interpretation is interesting...."

"It's not just the pictures Kari," Angie smirked. "I've noticed you haven't seemed happy since we left, and I know that's been affecting your work. Maybe if you tell me what your problem is I can help you work it out."

"Well I have been a little homesick, but other than that I've been fine," Kari lied unconvincingly. 

Angie smiled weakly, and continued playing with several other pictures already hanging from the line. "I thought we were becoming good friends here Kari? I was hoping you'd come to me on your own. I hate to do this, but I think I have a feeling I know what your problem is."

Kari glanced up at her with a questioning and concerned eye. Angie noticed this, and giggled as she picked up an envelope laying at the edge of the table. She opened it and pulled out a large stack of pictures, the ones Kari had entered in the contest along with a few others she had given Angie earlier in the week.

"I was looking through a few of your older pictures, and comparing them to some of your recent ones. I noticed most of them have your friends standing in front of the backgrounds."

"Yeah so?..." Kari asked, afraid she knew where Angie was headed. "I think the pictures look better with someone in them that's all."

"I also noticed that one young man in particular seems to show up a lot." Angie giggled, as she watched Kari's face tense up. "That cute blonde boy wearing the funny hat."

"Yeah that's TK! He's my best friend," Kari said, all in about three seconds wanting to make an excuse for it before Angie could make any type of accusation.

"Oh really? That was the boy that was with you at the airport in Tokyo wasn't it?" Angie stopped the interrogation when she noticed how red Kari's face had gotten, and a thought occurred to her. "He didn't say anything to upset you did he?"

"No, not at all! Warmed my heart would be the best way to describe it." Kari suddenly found herself giving in. "It was something I didn't say that's been bothering me,..." 

"So this boy is more than just a friend isn't he?" Kari didn't say nor do anything. She just stared at the floor, not needing any words or gestures to give her answer. "I'm sorry. I won't pry into it anymore. At least I know where your mind has been the last few days, and it hasn't been with your pictures."

"He may have been a little distracting..." *Maybe a lot...* She thought to herself.

"Be honest with me Kari. I know how hard it is to be so far away from someone you care about. I feel the same way every time I have to leave my fiancée for these long trips. I get distracted myself thinking about him a lot.

"Fiancée?!" Kari shouted in disbelief. "I didn't know you were getting married?!" 

"I never told you? I guess it just never came up!" Angie laughed. "He's been working as a student teacher in Tokyo..."

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the darkroom door. A short man in a baseball cap, that Kari recognized as one of Angie's co-workers, opened the door only peering his head inside. "Hey Gato! When you get a minute the boss wants to see you."

"Tell her I'll be there in a minute," Angie answered him, as she did some last second reorganizing of their work station.

Kari looked up at her mentor with wide eyes. "Gato?!"

"Oh that," Angie giggled. "You can blame my fiancée for that. My nickname was cat growing up, but I happen to be half-Spanish. He was joking around and called me Gato instead one night, and before I knew it everyone was doing it!"

"Oh, is that it!" Kari giggled nervously, and blushed. *What am I thinking?! I must be imagining things...*

********

"No way Ken!" Davis screamed, like that was the most repulsive concept he had ever heard. "I've heard enough! There's no way!"

"Listen to reason for once Davis!" Ken pleaded with him. "I'm not asking you to like him or even get along with him! I'm just asking to tone down the hostility a tad. You guys are supposed to be friends! TK doesn't deserve what you put him through!"

"Speaking of friends aren't you supposed to be my best friend?! Shouldn't you be on my side?!"

"I'm not choosing sides Davis! I'm not going to chose between my friends! There's no reason for you guys to be fighting like that all the time! It's stupid, and there's no point to it! At least go back to the way it was originally when you guys would just insult each other from time to time! Nowadays I have to worry about you two beating each other to a pulp every time you see each other!"

"Well, go talk to him!" Davis sneered. "He started this!"

"And how did he start this?" Ken asked.

"He came back to Odaiba!" 

Ken was taken back. "That's your reason?! Do you have any idea how stupid that sounds?! Look, all I want you to do is hear me out without blowing your top in the process! TK was being just as stubborn as you are, but at least he was willing to listen!"  


"Oh here we go again!" Davis rolled his eyes. "Just another reason why TK's better than me huh?! You too huh Ken?! I should've guessed it! Just another member of the international we love TC Takashi fan club! I'm I the only one that's not a member?!"

"Davis it's not!..." Ken chocked. "Oh forgot it! I don't why I even bothered! I knew this wasn't going to work! Talking to you two has been like trying to get the lion and the zebra to kiss and make up! Well, I've had it, I quit!"

Davis backed off surprised by his friend's sudden outburst. "Why are you so worried about us anyway? This is between me and TK! It has nothing to do with you!"

"It has everything to do with me! And I speak for Kari, Yolie, and Cody when I say this too! You think we like watching you guys at each other's throats all the time?! Hell no, and we're getting sick of it! Look, I've been on the wrong side of those tracks, and I've seen as much fighting as I ever want to see in my lifetime! I've never had many friends before, and excuse me if I don't want to watch two of them massacre each other THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" he screeched almost causing Davis to fall over from his breath. "And over the stupidest!... Well I'm through playing peacekeeper! If you two want to rip each other limb from limb then go ahead! I don't care anymore! The winner will carry on, and we'll bury the loser at sea via my Mama's toilet!"

Davis watched stunned, as Ken stormed away. "Dang..."

"Stupid, hard headed, lame-brained... It's times like this I wish I still had some of my dark rings! Then maybe I could actually get someone to listen to me around here!"

********

TK swung his feet over the cliff, almost able to pat his feet on the ground below, as he watched the sunset over the horizon. You probably wouldn't need more than one guess to who was on his mind at that time. "I can almost see the sunbeams shining off her hair, and her shadow dancing on the ground next to her... I can't even watch a sunset without thinking of her! I definitely have Kari on the brain..."

"There's nothing wrong with that," TK heard a voice from behind him say. "Just don't get your hope up about anything happening with my girl now KT!"

TK cringed. "At least he got both letters right this time," he mumbled softly. He sighed, as he pushed himself up to his feet. "What do you want Davis? I'm really in no mood for an argument right now, so if you're only here to start trouble than I'd rather you just leave."

"I've a question for you TD. Did Ken talk to you earlier today?"

"My name's TK Davis, and yes he did!" TK snapped. "What of it?"

"You notice something right now?" Davis asked, with a smug grin. "Your brother's not around. Tai's not around. Ken, Yolie, or anybody else for that matter, and Kari's half a world away. It's just me and you."

"Yeah, and what of it?"

"Well I was just thinking about what Ken said to me, and I'm starting to think he's right. We do have to find a way to work this out. We have to settle this right here and now!"

"Really Davis?" TK asked, more than surprised to hear that from him. "You know I'd never actually thought I hear that from you...."

TK turned around expecting to talk, but instead got nothing but Davis's fist smashing him in the face. TK grabbed his face with both hands, and hollered out in pain and surprise. "You've had this coming a long time Takashi!" was what he heard right before he felt Davis spear him to the ground. The next thing TK knew, Davis was mounted on top of him raining down punch after punch to any part of the body he found accessible. "What's the matter JT! Is all you can do is lay there and squirm?! Fight back already!"

"If you insist," He groaned, as he removed his hands from his still aching face. He rolled up his right fist, and planted it in that little spot right below Davis's ribcage and right above his stomach. Davis fell off of him, clutching his sternum and doubled over gasping for breath. 

Both boys rolled around on the ground regaining themselves. TK recovered first, but wisely stayed on the ground allowing Davis to get to his feet first. As soon as he was upright, TK kicked Davis's legs out form under him, sending the boy right back where he came from. TK hadn't come there that day expecting or wanting to get into a fight, but at the moment he couldn't control himself. Everything Davis had done and said to him and Kari over the past year caught up with him all at once, and Davis's sneak attack was just enough to make him just as willing to release his rage as Davis was. TK quickly pushed himself up, and waited as Davis pushed himself up into a sitting position. TK swung his leg around, and nailed Davis dead in the jaw. Davis screamed as he fell back, and grabbed a hold of his jaw. He knew he'd felt at least one tooth pop out of place after that shot. Now it was TK's turn as he jumped on top of Davis, and landed a series of punches of his own.  


"What's the matter Davis?! Is all you can do is lay there and squirm?!" He mocked, as he punched the back of the hand covering Davis's face. "Fight back already!"

That seemed to light a fire under Davis. He muscled his way out from underneath TK, and bounced to his feet. TK did the same, and they both immediately grabbed the collars of each other's shirts. The next several minutes resembled an ice hockey fight as they pushed and pulled fighting for leverage, and trying to land punches at any given opportunity. 

"What's the matter hot shot!" Davis sneered, as he missed with a left. "My sister's stuffed animals put up better fights than you!"

"I know this isn't exactly how it goes, but you remind me of that old song my brother's band likes to play a lot!" TK smirked. "What is he good for? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!" 

TK pushed Davis back, and caught him with a glancing blow to the chin sending him back just a bit. He followed with a right hand that caught Davis flush in the face, and sent him reeling backwards. He backpedaled towards the edge of the cliff, and suddenly felt himself beginning to slip over it. Just when Davis thought he was going to fall over, he felt someone grab him by the arm and hold him there as he teetered over the edge. With the setting sun shinning off the back of his head, and to afraid to look behind him, Davis stared TK in the face knowing he held his life in his hands.

"Come on TK! You wouldn't just let me go would you?"

"I don't know Davis," TK teased. "What would you do if the situation were reversed? Would you let me fall?"

"Of course I wouldn't " Davis swore. "I did come here for a fight, but I wasn't planning on anyone getting killed!"

"I don't believe you Davis. I think you'd let me fall. All I can say is it was nice knowing you Davis!"

"TK DON'T!" Davis plea was ignored as TK let go of his arm, and he felt himself fall over the cliff. 

TK waited, and two seconds later heard a mild thud on the ground below. He lay down on his stomach, and poked his head over the cliff side, and stared down at Davis who was lying flat on his back, his teeth gritting in anger. "You've got to be more careful Davis! Those 10-inch drops are murder!" 

"OH! SO YOU THINK THAT'S FUNNY!" Davis screeched. He hopped up to his knees, and grabbed TK by the shirt yanking him to ground below. Davis smirked as TK landed with a thud, as Davis pulled himself to his feet. "TRY LAUGHING AT THIS!" 

Davis lifted up his leg, and drove his foot down into TK's gut. He watched as TK wheezed, and coughed up blood. The sight of the blood seemed to trigger something in Davis. His eyes widened, and he backed off almost in shock. He quickly shook it off, and stalked back towards TK. The few seconds of hesitation gave TK ample time to be ready for him. He lunged at Davis, and tackled him in similar fashion to how Davis had done him earlier. They spent the next ten minutes rolling around on the ground swatting at each other, nether one of them ever really gaining the upper hand. Finally, it began to dawn on TK just how pointless what they were doing really was. He tossed Davis off of him, and rolled a good ten feet away. Both tired and wore out, they just stared at each other as they pulled themselves up to their feet.

"That's enough Davis! I've had enough... This is getting us no where!"

"So your giving up already?!" Davis asked, almost hopefully. He looked dead tired, but the anger and hatred could still be seen burning in his drooping eyes. 

"Call it that if you want, but I'm done fighting with you!" TK barked, as he wiped a stream of blood off the top of his lip that had trickled down from his nose. "And I mean for good! I've got no reason to fight with you like this, and nether do you!"

"I have every reason!" Davis fried back.

"And why is that?" TK scoffed. "You think Kari's going to like you any better if you kick the crap out of me?! Well, I've got news for you! All you picking a fight with me is going to accomplish is to turn Kari off even more! It's not going to look very good for me either since I fought back..."

"Man have you got it all wrong! This isn't about Kari anymore TK! This is about me and you! Kari has nothing to do with it!"

TK looked shocked. "What are you talking about?! What have I ever done to you?!"

"What have you done to me?!" Davis almost laughed. "Oh yeah! Mr. Perfect TK Takashi! The cute basketball player, and a perfect gentlemen! GOD YOU MAKE ME SICK TK! How everybody likes you more than me! How everyone thinks your better than me! I'm sick and tired of everyone feeling they have to point out all of my faults, while they turn right around and brag about how sweet and perfect you are! That I'm too hot-tempered, I don't think before I act, and I'm not sensitive to anyone's feelings! I think Yolie said it best. How she can meet a guy that's sweet like TK, or a jerk like Davis! I swear if I have to listen to one more person ask me why can't I be more like TK MY HEAD'S GOING TO EXPLODE! Then of course you have to go, and rub it all in my face every chance you get! Kari was just the straw that broke the camel's back! You guys stand there and claim nothing's going on, and the next minute you flirt and stare at each other like everyone else is stupid! Well I've had it! I'm tired of you waving it in my face! I'm tired of your crap, AND I'M TIRED OF YOU!"

"Davis... Is that really what you think?" Davis ignored his question, and turned his back to him. "Davis... I've never purposely tried to do anything to make you think that, and if I have I'm sorry. And trust me, Kari and I are just friends! The only reason she flirts with me is to make you jealous!"

"You're either a liar, or stupid! Don't even try to tell me you don't like her this time... I heard that mush you spewed at the airport. Please take my heart Kari!" he mocked.

"How the hell did you?!...."  


"Because I was there!" Davis cut him off. "I wanted to talk to her just one more time before she left, but of course you were already there showing me up as usual!"

TK sighed, and shook his head. "I wasn't trying to show you up, and I've never tried to act like I was better than you! All I ever did was try to be your friend, but you'd just spit at me like it meant nothing!"

"You have a funny way of showing it!" Davis slipped two of his fingers in his mouth, and pulled them out with blood covering both from a cut on his gums Davis had gotten when TK kicked him in the face

"You're the one who picked the fight! What did you expected me to do? Lay there, and let you pound my face into hamburger!" he barked. "Look Davis, it's not me you need to be like. Being yourself is fine, you just have to adjust some of the negative aspects of your personality that makes people look at you the way they do."

"THERE YOU GO AGAIN!" Davis screamed. "WE JUST GOT DONE BEATING EACH OTHER'S BRAINS IN, AND YOU STILL WANT TO MAKE NICE AND BE UNDERSTANDING! WELL I CAN'T DO THAT! I GET ANGRY, AND I'M HEARD HEADED! I JUMP IN WITHOUT THINKING, AND I SHOOT FIRST THEN ASK QUESTIONS LATER! I CAN'T HELP THE WAY I AM!... No wonder everyone likes you more than me... I can't even begin to do anything like that..."

"Listen to yourself Davis! That's one of the reasons every talks about you that way Davis! I'm not the one who goes around trying to prove I'm better than everyone! That's you and you do everything in your power to try to prove it, and act like a conceded jerk no matter what the result! It's not you they don't like Davis, it's your attitude! Like you said your you, and I'm me. Don't change who you are Davis, just get rid of what you don't need to be! Is it me your really jealous of, or are you just frustrated with yourself?!" 

"I don't even know anymore..." Davis sighed, shutting his eyes tightly. "It's not that easy for me. We can't all be perfect like you!"

"I'm flattered you think so Davis, but I'm not anywhere near perfect Davis!" TK laughed. "There's plenty of things your better than me at. Not everyone can be the leader of the Digidestined. I don't think I could handle all the responsibility you have on your shoulders, though you seem to do it so easily in your own air-headed carefree kind of way. I can't play a lick of soccer, and you've never been afraid to let Kari know how you feel about her while it took me five years just to build up the courage to do it once!"

Davis smirked. "I am the best soccer player around aren't I?... I'm done with you TK, but don't you dare think anything's changed between us! I need to go somewhere and think for a while... Don't you dare think I've given up on Kari yet either, because it isn't going to happen!"

"You'd be a fool if you did." Davis ignored TK, and began walking away. "Remember you don't have to like me, but there's no reason for you to hate me either!" 

Davis stopped dead in his tracks. He turned his head, and looked back at TK for a brief moment before turning to walk away. His expression never once changed. . 

********

"I don't know what to do," Kari sighed, as she stared up at the ceiling. A loud knock on her down caused to sit upright in her bed. "Come in."

As expected, Angie's smiling face poked into Kari's hotel room. "Just wanted to say goodnight Kari. Remember we leave for New York in the morning, so take the rest of the day off and try to get some rest."

"Yes Ma'am," Kari replied. "Oh, by the way. My friend Mimi wanted to meet us at the airport if that's okay I mean."

"Of course it's no problem. I look forward to meeting your friend. Night Kari," she said, before shutting the door behind her.

"Goodnight Angie." Kari blew the hair off of her forehead, and collapsed on the bed as she jabbed her hands in her pockets. She felt a triangular shaped object at the bottom of her left pocket. Curious, she pulled it out, and found the little slip of paper TK had given her the day she left Japan. "There it is! I thought I'd lost this..."

Kari hastily unfolded the slit of paper, and read what Takeru had written. It was merely three simple lines, but seeing whom it was, it was more than enough to bring a smile to Kari's face.

"I wrote this just incase I failed to mention it before. I'm sorry to be so brunt, but I didn't feel right keeping something that didn't belong to me. I know it's not much, but it's the only thing I had of any value to me. By the way. Let me know if it stops beating... That's something I'd probably need to know..."

Kari sobbed softly before lunging at the telephone. She picked up the receiver with a slight struggle, and quickly dialed TK's number. She hated calling that late at night again, but she needed to hear his voice before she'd be able to do anything else that night.

TK groaned sleepily, as he reached around the dresser next to his bed searching for his phone. It hadn't woken him up, since he hadn't been able to sleep that night anyway. "Hello," He yawned into the receiver.

"TK? It's me Kari."

"Of course it is!" TK giggled, happy to hear her voice. "Who else would be calling me at two in the morning?"

"I'm sorry. I know it's late, but I really needed to talk to you," she explained.

"That's perfectly fine Kari. You can call me whenever you need to talk," he assured her.

"Thanks TK. I won't make a habit of it. I promise."

"You won't?" he whined, pretending to be disappointed.

Kari giggled on the other end. "Grow up Takeru! I need to ask you a serious question. I really have enjoyed my time on this trip, but I don't know if my hearts in committing to another two weeks of it. I'm seriously thinking about chucking the rest of this trip and headed home. What do you think ?"

"I think your being crazy!" TK yawned again, trying his best to stay awake. "This is too big of an opportunity for you to just throw it away. Besides, you said New York was your next stop wasn't it? Niagara Falls? That was what you wanted to see most of all wasn't it?"

"Yes, but I'll have plenty of chances to see it I'm sure. As for right now I have other things I think I'd rather be doing this summer... TK?" Kari's eyes widen as she heard snoring coming form the other end of the line. She giggled, and lay there silently for about a minute just listening to him breath. "I shouldn't have called so late... Ah... I love you Takeru."

TK dozed off for a very brief moment before waking up. He awoke just in time to hear four words that almost made his heart stop. He didn't know if he was dreaming or not, and decided to get bold. "I love you too Hikari."

Kari my never know why she did what she did next, but she panicked and quickly slammed down the phone. 

"He was awake?!... And I just hung up on him..."

"Kari?!" TK stared down the phone, which beeped at him in defiance. "She said... She said she loved me?! Then she hung up on me?... Ugh... I'm never gona get to sleep again..."

********

By the time Kari awoke the next morning, her mind was already made up. She knew what she wanted to do. There were two planes leaving Cairo at 9:15 that morning. One of the bound for New York and the other for Tokyo, and as far as she was concerned there was going to be at least one empty first class seat on that plane headed for New York. Now she needed to find a way to break it to Angie.

"Angie I'm sorry, but I'm not going to New York with you."

To her surprise Angie didn't look upset at all, and actually looked as if that's what she expected. "I can't say I'm not surprise. There isn't anything I can do to change your mind is there?"

"No Ma'am. My heart's just not into it." She blushed, as she thought about what she was about to say. "I left it somewhere else when I came here. I have one with me right now, but it's never really been into photography."

"I understand," Angie smiled. "Well if that's the case then I guess we better be going."

"We? Don't you need to be headed for New York?"

"Not anymore. My only job was to help you. If your going back to Japan then there's really no point in me flying all the way out to America." She explained, which actually made a lot of sense. "Besides, you're not the only one who has someone waiting there for you, you know?"

Kari looked up and smiled. "Thank you Angie. Thank you for everything."

end.

-That's all for C2. Please let me know what you think. I spent four hours editing this thing this morning, so there shouldn't have been too many spelling or grammatical errors. If there is I think I'm going to cry. Part three will be up as soon as I can mange. Kari's returns home with full intentions to return the favor to TK so to speak. If only things were that simple...


	3. Default Chapter

-I have to say I'm rather proud of how fast I got this thing finished, and still kept it in decent quality. For anyone who happens to stumble across it, I hope you enjoy.

Warning: Forget this crap! If your clicking on a fic with romance as the genre, and your not looking for fluff then what the heck are you doing here anyway?

Please Take It... Chapter 3

TK stared out his window at the world that at the moment was meaningless to him. His chin rested roughly against his forearm, his eyes red and droopy from 36 straight hours without any sleep. *I don't understand what's going on! First she says she loves me then hangs up on me?! Did she really mean it, or was it something that just slipped lose? Maybe I just dreamed it, or imagined it or something? That's probably the answer. She must've gotten mad at me when I fell asleep so she hung up..., or maybe she really did say it?! I swear Kari you may just be an angel, but your sure putting me through some hell right now!*

"TK!" Matt called him from the kitchen. "TELEPHONE!"

"I'm coming," TK moaned, as he struggled to his feet, and proceeded to blob his way into the kitchen. 

Matt noticed his brother had the look of something that just walked out of the Night of the Living Dead. "Man TK! When's the last time you slept?! Christmas?!"

"Very funny! Who is it?"

"It's your girlfriend Kari," he teased, as he handed him the phone.

"Stop kidding around!" TK snapped. He was tired, cranky, and in no mood for wisecracks. "You know she's not my girlfriend!"

"Hey, don't get mad at me! That's what she said, not me!"

"Huh?" TK look confused, as he placed the receiver to his ear. "Hello."

"Hey TK! It's me Kari of course. You holding up okay without me?"

"Yeah I'm holding up fine," TK said, almost falling off the counter he was leaning on.

"Is that what you call that?" Matt chuckled, who was still standing behind him.

"Shut up!"

"Excuse me?" Kari asked.

"Oh, not you Kari! I was talking to Matt ," he said giving his brother an evil eye, causing Matt to laugh out loud. "So what's up?"

"I am silly!" she giggled. "I'm on the airplane right now."

"Oh, so your headed for New York?" he assumed.

"Nope. I'm headed back to Japan as we speak!" she announced cheerfully. "I just couldn't stay away any longer."

"Your coming home?!" TK hunched over, as Matt poked his head over his shoulder.

"He really missed you Kari! He hasn't been able to sleep some nights, and he spends his days staring at that picture of you two at the beach. He's even been sleeping with that goofy stuffed bear you left over here about a month ago!"

"GO AWAY MATT!"

Kari blushed. "What?... Oh you mean that old Care Bear? That wasn't mine, that was Tai's."

Matt kind of stood there silently for a moment, his face turning redder with each passing second. All of a sudden he burst out into laughter, and collapsed to the floor. "You mean this entire time I've been sleeping with Tai's bear?!" TK whined. "Not that I've been sleeping with it... Oh boy..."

Kari couldn't hold back her laughter. "Your falling apart without me there aren't you?"

"You know it," TK replied. Hell it was practically the truth. 

"I can't believe it! This is to much!" Matt squealed, as he pulled himself to his feet. "Watch out Tai, I've got major blackmail material on you now!"

"Well, at least that got him to leave me alone," TK said.

"Why don't you use the phone in your room?" Kari asked.

TK almost fell over. "That's right I do have a phone in my room don't I?... Oh, I need a nap... I guess it doesn't matter. Matt would be listening in on this phone if I was in my room anyway."

"Well I just wanted to let you know I'm hoping all of you will be there when I arrive at the airport," Kari began. "Tell the others for me, except for Tai who I'm going to call myself. My planes due to arrive at 8:00p.m. okay?"

"Sure thing," TK accepted. "I'll make sure to let the guys know."

"Oh, and TK. You better be the first person I see when I get off that plane, or your going to be in big trouble got me? This time I have something I want to give to you."

TK felt himself go numb. "Uh... Sure Kari..."

"Bye Takeru."

"Bye Kari..." he said, as he hung up the phone.

"Awe, isn't that sweet," Matt teased. "You look like you just swallowed your tongue!"

"Why are you still here Matt?!" he demanded. "Don't you still live across town?!"

"I don't know, you tell me. This is yours and Kari's story not mine."

"What does that mean?!"

"I don't know, ask the person working the keyboard."

"Your insane Yomato!" 

"And your blushing."

"That's it! I'll show you!" TK smiled a sinister smile, and started dialing in numbers. The phone rang twice before somebody picked up. "Hi there, how you doing? This is TK. My brother really wants to talk to you. He's been trying to get the nerve to call you all day, so I decided to do it for him."

  
"TK, what are you doing?" Matt asked

"It's for you," TK said, hading his brother the phone. "Oh by the way, it's Jun. Have fun!"

"WHAT?! YOU LITTLE RAT!" The ecstatic ranting of the jubilant girl caused Matt to pull the phone away from his ear. "HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO YOUR OWN BROTHER?!"

"Easy, you pissed me off!" TK jeered, as he retreated to his room.

********

"You mean it!" Davis exclaimed jubilantly. "Kari's coming home early!"

"Yes..." TK muttered. 

"It's not that I'm not happy to hear that, but can I ask why?" Yolie wondered. "I mean what would make Kari decide to cut a trip like that short?"

"I guess she was just homesick," TK replied.

Ken noticed TK seemed a little out of character that afternoon. "Is everything okay TK? You seem a little distracted."

"He's right," Cody agreed, noticing the same thing Ken had. "I'd figure you'd be excited Kari's coming home, but you look like something's bothering you."

"No nothing's bothering me," TK said, putting on his best smile. "I'm just anxious over something Kari said to me..."

"Oh, like what?!" Yolie asked, getting nosey as did everybody else. 

TK looked at the ceiling of Yolie's apartment, and started to answer reluctantly. "Well..., she told me I better be the first person she sees when she gets off the plane, or I was going to be in big trouble... And that she had something to give me.

TK immediately regretted saying anything, as he was mugged with a million questions for Cody, Ken, but mostly Yolie of course. Davis, on the other hand, stood in the background grumbling to himself. All of a sudden Davis's eyes lit up, as an idea formulated in his head. "Excuse me guys, but I have to go. I have something I need to take care of..."

"Alright Davis, but remember. Airport at 8:00 okay?" TK reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah I'll be there! I wouldn't forget something like that!" he grunted obviously irritated. He smirked evilly, and spoke softly so only he could hear what he said next. "But if I have anything to say about it you won't be..."

Davis dashed out of Yolie's apartment, and motored all the way home. He burst through the door, and dashed into his room. He face faulted as his eyes landed on the small landfill he called his room. Just like his mama always warned him, he finally regretted never cleaning his room. He spent the next twenty minutes tarring into it before frustration finally took over. "Damn it! I can't find it anywhere! Hey Jun! Do you know where that post card Kari sent me from Egypt is?!"

"Yeah, you taped it to your door remember?!" she yelled from another room.

Davis stood silently for a moment, and stared into the empty hallway. He closed his door slowly, and sure enough there it was hanging from his door. "Oh yeah."

Davis cleared some papers away, and found his desk... Well, a small chunk of it surrounded by more junk anyway. He slapped a clean sheet of paper down on the desk, and started scribbling. Davis didn't receive many compliments other than from himself, but one he often got was regarding how nice his handwriting looked. A lot of people even commented that it looked a lot like Kari's. Davis was relying on that heavily if his plan was to work. Lucky for him Kari hadn't written out their names, so all he had to do was whiteout his address and replace it with TK's. A little more than ten minutes later he was finished. He paperclipped the letter to the postcard, and stuffed it into a compartment of his backpack for safe keeping. He slung his bag over his shoulder, and left his apartment headed for TK's.

"It's alright Davis. Your not doing anything wrong. Everything's going to be just fine. You just need to eliminate the competition."

********

"You can do this Davis! There's no shame in what your doing ," he said, still trying to convince himself what he was doing was right. "Kari might be hurt just a little, but she'll get over it. I know she feels the same way about me that I do for her, I just need to make her see that. TK will be fine. He's got a ton of girls flaunting all over him, so why does he need Kari anyway?!" Davis stared down the Takaishi mailbox, debating whether or not he should really go through with this. He had his hand on the handle, but couldn't quite pull it down.

"Don't do it Davis."

"Who said that?!" Davis spun his head around in every direction, but no one else was in sight. He shook it off, and reached for the handle. "I must be hearing things."

"Don't do it Davis," the voice ordered again. "You know this is wrong."

"Who's there?!" Davis demanded, but he still couldn't find anyone within his line of sight. "How the hell do you even know what I'm doing?!"

"I'm right here Davis. You can't do this. You'll regret it if you do. All your going to do is hurt everyone involved, and you may lose two friends in the process. You better think long and hard before you open that mailbox."

Davis tried his hardest, but he just couldn't place a face to go with the voice. It sounded very familiar to him, but slightly muffled for some reason. "Could it be my conscious?... NO! I have to do this! I can't let him beat me! I won't let him beat me!" With that he opened the mailbox hatch, and shoved the postcard with letter inside. He shut it, and quickly made his getaway before he could change his mind. 

"I knew it! I don't even know why I bother with you Davis! Well, don't come crying to me when this blows up in your face! Complete waste of time... Why don't you go ahead and shoot yourself in the other foot, and tell Yolie her glasses make her look funny!"

"Geez my conscious has a serious attitude problem!"

Davis had timed things extremely well for TK had come down to check the mail right after Davis's departure. The only piece of mail he found inside was a postcard with a single sheet of paper attached to it. "Hey it's another postcard for Kari! She must've sent it before she decided to fly home... And there's a letter with it this time?!... I'm almost afraid to look..."

The elevator seemed to take forever to reach his floor, as he stared at the contents of his hand. He wasn't exactly sure why he was so nervous, but a cold sweat started dripping from his forehead and hands soling the paper in his hand. He managed to find his way back to his apartment without looking up once. He took a seat on the couch, he had readied himself for the worst, but nothing could've prepared him for what he was about to read.

__

Dear TK;

__

I guess by now you've really been missing me huh?

"God, don't you know it!" 

__

If your reading this letter then I'm already on an airplane headed home, and you must've already received my phone call telling you I wanted you to be the first person I see once I get home. I bet your a bundle of nerves about it to. Well, that's what I'd expect because you always were the gullible type TK. 

"Excuse me?!..."

__

In reality your the last person I want to see there upon my return TK. I thought it would be fun to tug at your heartstrings a little. To tell you the truth I'm rather sick of you little TK, and your pathetic attempt to win me over sickened me!... You've been annoying since you were eight, and you just seem to get worse as you get older. It's been pitiful watching you follow me around like a lovesick puppy everywhere I go. You think I haven't noticed you all those times you stared at me with your mouth lying on the ground, and drool dripping from it like a faucet! It amused me at first, but after a while it got to a point where you just flat out annoyed me. I never thought you'd have the guts to actually go as far as you did. I almost feel sorry for you. Did you actually think I could possibly love you TK? I'll be laughing at that one for years! Get a life TK, and better yet get out of mine! It's bad enough I have to put up with you in the Digital World, so why should I have to every other day of my life? It wouldn't hurt my feelings none if I never saw you again. Well, I guess that's all I have to say to you TK. I wish I could say I wish you a nice life, but I really don't care if you do or not. Good bye, and good ridings!

Love Kari.

P.S. Don't worry about your heart. It's sitting at the bottom of a murky part of the Nile with the rest of the trash right where it belongs. 

TK couldn't believe his eyes, despite the tears he felt pushing up against them trying to escape. He knew Kari would never do something like that to him, or anyone else for that matter! Even if she didn't love him back, she'd put him down gently not like... Like this! Still, there it was right in front of his eyes. Word for word written by Kari's own hand, or at least that's the way it appeared to him. If it had been a simple no he could've lived with it, but from the looks of things she viewed five long years of what he thought was friendship as nothing more than a nuisance. A small smudge on the windshield obstructing her view of the road ahead. The reality of the situation wouldn't allow him to hold his tears back for long, and a few finally found their way free as he hurled the letter and card at the floor. He stormed into the bathroom, and found a red eyed, pain filled face staring back at him in the mirror. 

"This... This can't be happening! After everything we've been through! It meant nothing to her... I can't believe this! She wouldn't do something like that to me! I know her... At least I thought I knew her." He chocked back hard feeling himself about to lose everything he was trying to hold in. He stared at his reflection hard, and frowned deeply. "Then again. What better could I expect from you!"

********

Matt decided to take a quick bathroom run at his mother's before picking up TK there, and head for the airport to welcome Kari home. The last thing he expected was to find TK sitting on the couch sulking, an emotionless empty shell replacing what use to be his happy-go-lucky baby brother.

"TK what's wrong?!" 

"Nothing much really." He nodded looking at Matt with dead eyes, and not doing much to ease his brother's worries. Matt decided not to dwell on it. They had plenty of time to talk in the car.

"Okay, we have plenty of time to talk on the way to the airport. I have to go to the bathroom real quick, and then we can go..." He started off towards the bathroom, but stopped when he noticed how stern his brother's face had gotten.

"I'm not going," he said coldly.

"Your not going?!" Matt snapped. "And why not?!"

"Because she doesn't want me there."

"And what makes you think that?" Matt asked staring his brother down like he thought he was crazy.

"Because of this!" he said, holding up a single sheet of paper.

Matt walked over to TK, and took the letter from his hand. He read what was inscribed, and his mouth almost hit the floor. "I can't believe it!... Who does that little tramp think she is?! She has some nerve sending you something like this! I tell you I'm going to give her a piece of my mind, and possibly her big brother too if he knows anything about this!"

"Don't worry yourself about it Matt," TK told him. "I'm gona leave her alone from now on like she wants. It's me she has the problem with not you. No need to blow it up any more than it needs to be. You better be on your way. Kari's plane is due to land any minute now."

"No way!" Matt barked. "If your not welcome then I'm not welcome either!"

"Thanks Matt." TK smirked slightly. 

"What a second..." Now that Matt had a second to calm down, and think he was sensing something fishy about this situation. "Are you absolutely sure this is from Kari now? This really doesn't sound like something she would do to me. Especially to you I mean. You guys have been pretty close since you were little."

"That's what I thought," he moaned sadly. "I'd really like to believe it wasn't from her, but I can't see how it couldn't be. It's her postcard, and her handwriting. She mentioned things only she could possibly know."

Matt looked at his brother trying to find the right words that might help mend his freshly broken heart, even though he had a feeling nothing he could say could possibly help TK at that moment. "I'm sorry TK. That's all I can say. I know it's going to be tough getting over her, but no one who'd stomp all over your heart like that is worth the trouble anyway. Kari obviously isn't the sweet innocent little girl we all thought she was. She'll be sorry when she realizes what a good thing she could've had then blew it. She isn't worth getting so upset over. You'll get over her in no time. You'll see."

"So you really think it's that easy Matt?!" TK laughed, beginning to tear up again. He really wanted to say something smart, but he held back. His brother was only trying to help him, and didn't deserve to get an attitude for his efforts. "I'm sorry Matt... I'm going to my room. I really need some time to myself, and try to figure out what the hell I've been doing wrong."

"If that's what you want TK," Matt said, as TK headed for his room.

"Oh, and Matt." TK turned to face his brother as he pushed open the door to his room. "Yes she is."

"Oh TK..." Matt sighed, as he watched the door slam behind his brother.

********

"Well, where are they?!" Tai screeched. He along with Davis, Ken, Sora, and the rest of the Digi-destined were all gathered at the airport to greet Kari on her return home just like she had requested. Matt and TK however, were rather conspicuous by their absence.

"Don't worry so much Tai, I'm sure they'll be here any minute now," Joe tried to convince him.

"Yeah well they better hurry! The plane's due to land any minute now!" What he didn't know was the plane had arrived early, and would be disembarking at any moment. "She was already upset that he stood her up at her party the other week, and she won't exactly be thrilled if he's a no show here too."

"I don't see why he wouldn't be here," Cody jumped in. "He was a little nervous, but he seemed excited she was coming home."

"Maybe he just doesn't care as much as he tries to let on," Davis sneered. "The rest of us are here. If TK's to good to come then who needs him!"

"Of course he cares Davis!" Yolie snapped at him. "I'm sure he and Matt are just running a little late. They'll be here any minute now.

"That's what you think," Davis muttered under his breath. *Yes! It must've worked! Now with just a little more positioning I can have Kari all to myself!*

"Don't act too excited Davis," Davis heard that voice pop into his head again. "Your going to grow to regret it soon enough."

"I will not!" Davis said quietly. "I have nothing to regret! I haven't got a thing to be ashamed of!"

"If that were true than you wouldn't be talking to me right now would you?" the voice mocked.

"Oh what do you know?!" Davis stopped, and blushed as he realized what he was doing. *Oh great. I'm talking to the voices inside my head now! I'm sure it's just stress. It's going to be a little tougher to pull through this than I thought. It'll be alright Davis! It'll be alright!*

A few seconds later passengers started pouring out of the plane, and into the already crowded airport. Tai scanned through the mess of humanity until his eyes finally landed upon the smiling face of his sister who was holding her carryon bag over her shoulder. "Hey Kari! Over here!"

Kari noticed her brother, standing with a group of her friends, waving her over to him. "Tai!" she yelled excitedly, as she dashed towards him. She embraced him first of course, and then exchanged greetings with the rest of her friends that were present.

"It's great to see you again!" Tai said, as she let go of Yolie. "Did you enjoy your trip?"

"Yeah... But I can't help but think I've forgotten something," she replied. "I have no idea what it might be but..."

---------- Meanwhile at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City.----------

"So where is she?! I've been waiting here for almost three hours!" Mimi whined, resting her hands on her hips. "I could've sworn she said she was going to be on that flight that landed two hours ago! Well, I guess I'll give her another ten minutes, but after that she's out of luck!"

----------

"Well I guess it's nothing." Kari looked over the group one more time, and noticed that the person she most wanted to see wasn't present. "Hey guys... Where's TK at?"

"He and Matt never showed up," Davis said quickly. Of course he was the only one there who knew why.

Kari looked disheartened. "He's not here?!... I warned him. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to go to him then."

Davis looked about ready to freak out. "What?! He didn't even bother to come greet you, so why should you waste your time going to see him?!"

"I'm afraid I'd have to agree with Davis on this one," Tai said. "He didn't bother to see you off before you left, and he's not here now. I don't know what his story is..."

Kari cut him off. "For your information he did see me off, and don't look at me that way I'll tell you all about it later. I'm sure he has a good reason for not coming. They may even be hurt or worse! I better get over there, and make sure everything's alright!"

Tai stopped her before she could run off. "If that's what you need to do then go ahead, but make sure you go see mom and dad right afterward. They're really looking forward to seeing you too. If you want to go to TK's maybe I should go with you..."

"Thanks Tai, but I really need to do this myself." She gave Tai a look that she'd used to get what ever she wanted out of him since she was a little girl.

"Okay..." Tai gave in without a fight. "Just be careful."

"Don't worry Tai, I'm a big girl! I survived two weeks in Egypt without you there watching my every move, so I think I can survive walking along the streets of my own hometown!" she joked, before turning to go. 

Davis watched Kari as she disappeared. He wasn't about to miss out on this. "Excuse me guys, but I've got to get home." Without saying another word or giving anyone a second look he exited the airport, and set off for TK's apartment.

********

"I've got nothing to worry about," Kari said to the door, trying to build up the courage to knock on it. "Don't even worry about why he wasn't there. Sure your upset about it, but that's not what's important right now. Telling him is all that matters. You already know he loves you, so this shouldn't be so hard... It shouldn't be..., but it is... Oh forget it! Here goes nothing!"

Kari knocked three times, and waited for about a minute without an answer. She reached up to knock again when the door suddenly opened. She found Matt on the other side of the door, and when he saw her he frowned like nobody's business. "What are you doing here?!"

Kari blushed. "Uh... Nice to see you again too... I really need to talk to TK... Is he here?"

"Haven't you said enough already?!" Matt barked. "You sure have your nerve!"

Kari was taken back. She'd seen Matt that angry before, but never at her! She had no idea why, hell she'd only been back in Japan for less than an hour, but she did know she wanted to get as far away from Matt as she could as soon as possible. "Is TK here or not?... I mean if you'd tell me please..."

Matt grunted, and looked away from her. "Yeah he's here. I don't think he has anything to say to you though, but I'll ask him. I'd like to hear you explain yourself anyway!"

Matt slammed the door in her face leaving Kari staring ahead completely stunned. "What did I do?!"

Matt returned a few seconds later a little calmer, but looking no less hostile. "Okay. He said he'd see you, but I swear if you cause any more trouble I'll throw you right out on your ass!" 

Matt stormed off leaving the door wide open. Kari cautiously walked in behind him, and closed the door. She watched Matt storm to his mother's bedroom, and slam the door behind him. She made a mental note to avoid going anywhere near there. She walked towards TK's room, and noticed his door was open. She found TK sitting on his bed, staring in the opposite direction from her. She smiled at the sight of him, and snuck in quietly.

"TK. I'm here."

"Why is that?" he asked, without turning his head towards her. "Did you come to make sure you got the job done?"

"What are you talking about?!" Kari giggled. "I wanted to see you. You weren't at the airport so..."

"You didn't want me there remember?!" 

"Of course I did!" Kari cried becoming both confused and upset. "What's wrong TK? You sound like you've been crying? TK... Why won't you look at me?"

"Like hell you don't know!" he shouted, refusing to look at her. He didn't want to give her the satisfaction of seeing how miserable he'd been. "What are you even doing here anyway?! You want to laugh at me a little more? Hell, didn't you say it wouldn't hurt your feelings none if you ever saw me again?!"

"What are you talking about TK?! I never said anything like that?!"

"There's no need to pretend Kari! I got your damn letter!"

"Letter?! I never sent you..." Kari stopped as TK stood up, and looked her right in the face. She stared at him speechless, seeing nothing but anger and misery. A bright pink face, and wet red eyes with his eyebrows sunk so low they almost burned holes in his eyelids. He held the letter and card up to her face, giving her the cue to take it. She did reluctantly, and what she read almost brought tears to her own eyes. Not as much from what it said, as that TK actually thought she was the one who wrote it. "TK! I don't know who sent you this, but I swear it wasn't me!"

"Come on Kari!" he snapped, as he pointed at the letter. "This is your handwriting is it not, and your postcard?! Who else would've known you called me and what you said over the phone, and what I told you at the airport?! Who Kari?! Tell me that much if it's not you!"

Kari examined the letter. It was her postcard, and it did look a lot like her handwriting... "TK I swear I didn't write this! You have to believe me! I swear it wasn't me!"

"I don't know what to believe," he sighed, as he turned his back to her. "I thought we were good friends all these years, but according to that I've just been fooling myself..."

"The only thing fooling you is that stupid postcard!" Kari cried, starting to tear up. "I don't know who sent you this, but it wasn't me! IT WASN'T ME!"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYMORE! JUST GET OUT OF HERE!... You said you wanted me to get out of your life, and I'm going to grant your wish. You won't have to worry about putting up with me anymore."

"TK NO!"

"You heard him Kari," Matt said, who had suddenly appeared behind her. "You better leave now. If you don't leave on your own power then I will escort you out!"

Kari looked at Matt who stared down on her with cold eyes, and then turned her head to TK who refused to even look at her. Kari burst into tears, and ran out of the Takaishi apartment. Hearing her begin to cry was more than enough to get to TK. "Kari!" he called, as he started to go after her.

Matt stood in front of the door, and blocked his path. "Don't let her play you for a fool TK."

TK looked up at his brother. Unsure of what to do, he hung his head letting the tears begin to flow again.

Kari burst through the exit of the complex sobbing uncontrollably. She hadn't taken more than four steps out when she plowed into Davis knocking herself over, and almost laying him out in the process.

"Kari?..." He looked down at her in disbelief. He had expected her to be somewhat upset, but nothing like she was reduced to right now.

"Davis?..." Needing no other words, she threw her arms around his waist, and started crying into his gut. Davis looked down at her, as that nagging little voice popped into his head again.

"Are you happy now Davis?"

********

Davis escorted Kari home with her latched on to his arm the entire way. He had always dreamed of the day he and Kari would be strolling along the moonlit street together arm-in-arm, but this wasn't anywhere near how he imagined it. She was clinging on to him more out of necessity than anything else, and everything just felt all wrong. He had no idea what TK had said to make her so upset, but he vowed to make TK pay for it whatever it was. Leave it to Davis to ignore responsibility for his own actions, and place all the blame strictly elsewhere. However, he did admit that if he'd known Kari would react this badly he never would've gone through with it. Tai was the only person present when they arrived at the Kamiya's apartment. She told her brother the entire story, and of course he went absolutely ballistic. He rambled something about having a talk with TK, and something else about ripping whoever sent TK that letter a new hole before storming off into his room. Davis counted his blessings, and turned his attention to the blubbering mess lying in his arms. 

"I can't believe the nerve of that guy! He had no right to talk to you like that! I have half a mind to walk right over there, and put my fist into his face!"

"It's not his fault..." Kari whimpered much to Davis's surprise.

"What do you mean it's not his fault?! Don't tell me your going to defend him after what he did to you! He's not worth it, and he's not worth all the tears you've been crying over him either!"

"Yes he is!" Kari sniffed. She released her hold on him, and sat up on the couch next to him. "He honestly thinks I wrote that letter... I can only imagine what he's been feeling thinking that's the way I really feel about him. I'd be devastated if someone I cared about did something like that to me..."

"But he should've known it wasn't from you Kari!" Davis insisted. "He should know you well enough by now to know that's something you wouldn't do to your worst enemy let alone your best friend! He should've listened to you when you tried to tell him it wasn't you, instead of going off on you like that."

"I know... That's why it hurts so much..." Kari's eyebrows furrowed. "I swear if I ever get my hands on whoever sent him that damn!... Who would do something so cruel anyway?!... What did we ever do to them?!"

Kari psychologically slapped Davis right in the face. *She's... She's right. TK's not the reason she's sitting here crying her eyes out... I am... I've been so damn selfish!* Davis looked over at Kari who was crying even harder than before, this time into her hands, after her last outburst. "Excuse me Kari, but I have to go to the bathroom real quick. I'll be right back I promise."

Kari didn't say a word. She nodded her head without bothering to remove her hands from her face. Davis sighed, and got up to head for the bathroom. He really did have to go, but what he really needed was some time to think. "I don't know what to do..."

"Tell her the truth," a voice said from out of the blue. 

"But I can't! I heard what she said... She'd hate me if she knew that I wrote that letter..."

"I'm sure she will for a while, but she's your friend. She'll forgive you in time. Either way, you have to take responsibility for your own actions."

"But I'm so close! Kari was right there lying in my arms confiding in me! I love her, and I can't just give that up! Besides that's just like letting TK win! I can't let him win! I... I..." Davis froze where he stood, and thought long and hard about what he had just said. "Wait a second... Am I doing this because I want Kari, or am I doing this just to beat TK?"

Davis walked back into the living room, and took a good long look at Kari. Her face was still buried in her hands, but at least she'd stopped crying. Davis guessed she must've taped the well dry. He starting asking himself some complicated questions. Did he really love Kari? Maybe so, but in reality he was probably too young to know what real love was. TK and Kari were different from other children their age though, and Davis always knew this. That's the thing that had made him so angry in the first place. Jealously of how TK's destiny so obviously seemed to intertwine with hers so perfectly, never leaving Davis a chance in the world. The lucky bastard. Hell, Kari was the child of light after all. Maybe that's what attracted Davis to her in the first place. He suddenly found it ironic that he claimed to care about her so much, but yet he was the one thing keeping her from truly being happy. 

"Kari... Could you please stand up, and look at me for a moment. I've got something I need to tell you."

Kari removed her face from her hands, and looked up at him. Davis's heart fell at how red and puffy her eyes were from all the crying she'd been doing. She thought over his request for a moment before standing up. "Okay Davis... From the look on your face, I'm guessing this isn't going to be good."

"You've got that right," Davis mumbled. "This is hard for me to tell you, because your probably going to hate me for this for a long time. I did something I'm not proud of. In fact now that I think about it makes me down right sick to my stomach. You know I care about you a lot Kari, and sometimes that makes me do stupid things without considering all the consequences of my actions. Well, I did, and I wound up hurting someone I really didn't want to hurt..."

"What did you do Davis?..."

"I... I gave TK that letter Kari!" he sputtered, as a few tears escaped from his eyes. "I'm so sorry Kari! I know it was selfish, and I'd do anything if I could go back and stop myself from going through with it! I never meant to hurt you, and it was never my intention to hurt TK either. I just honestly thought everything would work out for the better, and I realize know how stupid that was. You should go and tell him that, and try to make things right between you two. If there's anything I could do that would possibly make things right again Lord knows I'd do it an heartbeat! I'm so sorry Kari..."

Davis looked back at Kari who was staring a whole through him. He couldn't say she looked angry, and actually looked like she was feeling a combination of things. Davis braced himself for the worst as Kari approached him, but what she did next surprised him. She grabbed him by the sleeve, and then gave him a quick peck on cheek. Davis blushed, and looked down at her with a bewildered look on his face.

"That's for being honest, and coming clean. I know that wasn't easy..." All of a sudden she yanked down on his arm, so his head was low enough for her to yell into his ear. "AND THIS IS FOR BEING A ROTTEN, NO-GOOD, BACKSTABBING SNEAK!"

Kari reached down and grabbed the most sensitive area on any man's body, and squeezed and twisted them in a horrid vice grip. Davis's face turned blood red, as he collapsed to the ground from the pain. He grabbed his crotch, and started rolling around on the floor panting and wheezing. 

"I deserved that..." Davis squeaked, as Kari headed for the door.

"What's going on in here?!" Tai burst out of his bedroom upon hearing Davis scream. He found Davis rolling in agony on the floor, and Kari already halfway out the door.

"Make sure he doesn't leave!" Kari ordered, right before slamming the door. "I want to strangle him when I get back!"

"What the heck happened?!" Tai asked Davis who was still on the floor nursing his injury.

Davis rolled over on his back, and managed to cough out an answer. "Hell knows no fury like a woman scorned, but even hell's never experienced nothing like the wrath of Kari Kamiya..."

********

Matt anchored his butt to the couch giving his brother ample room to pace around the apartment, and TK used every inch of it. Matt watched in amazement as TK had three of the most abrupt mood swings he had ever seen from one human being. He went from angry and vengeful to sulking and whining in a matter of minutes, and finally sunk into a strange almost panicky state.

"I can't believe I talked to her like that! What was I thinking?!... And I made her cry! I'm such an asshole!"

"Hey, what you did to her was nothing compared to what she did to you!" Matt reminded him. "Remember the letter? That's the reason you were so upset with her!"

"But she swore it wasn't from her!" TK argued. "I should've listened to her instead of just ignoring it! I mean what if it wasn't from her, and I just did that to her for no reason! Why would she swear so vividly that it wasn't her if she had written it! She even ran out of her crying over it because I wouldn't believe her!"

"And what if she's lying, and did send it to you TK?!" Matt fired back. "She could be setting you up again for all you know, just to rip your heart into more pieces then she already has! I don't want to see that happen to you bro!"

"I know but... I can't take that chance! If it is just a setup for her to hurt me even more than so be it! It'll hurt a hell of a lot worse if I find out later that she really didn't, and I let her walk out of my life! I can't take that chance, and I won't take that chance!"

"I still think your way to young to be this gone over a girl TK," Matt sighed. He looked into his determined blue eyes, and peered deep down into Takeru's soul. "But you two have never exactly been normal have you... Not even as far as Digidestined go... Do what you have to do TK. I won't try to stop to you."

"Thanks for understanding Matt," TK said right before flying out the front door.

"TK!" TK poked his head back in the door at hearing his brother call his name. "I thought you said you could live without her?"

"I did, but I also said I didn't want to. I'll be damned if I'm going to if I don't have to!" he said right before he disappeared from the doorway.

"Good answer TK... And good luck."

********

Davis flew into a secluded alleyway, and propped himself up against the wall of the building panting heavily. He poked his head out from behind the building and looked in front of him, then in back of him, and finally across the street all with no signs of Tai. After Davis had finally come to Tai had forced him to admit he was the culprit that had sent the letter to TK, more importantly to Tai the reason that his sister was so upset, and Tai had been chasing him around Obadia ever since. Since Davis was a fellow Digidestined Tai had at least given him a ten second head start, even though it was the 1, 2, 5, 9, 10 type of deal. "I guess I lost him..."

Davis slid down until he plopped on his butt. He really must've been tired at the moment because he almost swore he heard his book bag grunt. "I guess I had this coming. Oh well. At least I can always brag that I out ran Tai Kamiya."

"Doesn't it feel better to get all that off your chest though," that little voice popped into his head again.

"I haven't had time to think about that! The only thing I'm worried about right now is dealing with two angry Kamiya's!" Davis stood up, which he immediately regretted as he felt a sharp pain in-between his legs. "Did she have to squeeze so hard?!"

"You know what they say Davis... Ah... Ah-coo!"

"Bless you."

"Uh... Thank you."

It was then Davis realized something. "Wait a second? Consciences can't sneeze!"

"Uh-oh..."

Davis finally recognized the squeaky slightly muffled voice. He took off his backpack, he had wondered why it had felt heavier today than normal, (Don't ask me why he's wearing it outside of school! It's just for the purpose of moving along the story!) and quickly unzipped the main compartment. He reached inside, and pulled out a small white and blue creature who stared back innocently at him.

"Hey Davis! Long time no see..." it laughed nervously.

"DEMIVEEMON?! SO I WASN'T JUST HEARING VOICES IN MY HEAD! IS THIS YOUR IDEA OF A JOKE OR SOMETHING?!"

"I'm sorry!" Demiveemon cried, as he started to squirm. "Gatomon made me do it! She said she'd use me as a scratching post if I didn't!"

"Why didn't you tell me something sooner!" Davis barked at him. "You may have been able to stop me before I even put that letter in TK's mailbox, and this whole mess could've been avoided!"

"Well it's good to see you to Davis! What would've been the point if I had to stop you anyway! I was hoping you'd stop yourself... The other's might not believe it, but I know your not bad like that Davis! You just made a mistake, and I decided after that I had to let you get through this yourself... I originally thought you knew it was me when I started talking to you, but you surprised me when you said I was you conscience. I felt like one of those actors in those movies you humans like so much, and well I couldn't resist!"

Davis stared at his little partner for a moment, before bursting out into laughter. "I'm sorry Demiveemon. It's good to see you too. What are you doing here anyway?"

"Well, the other day me and the others decided we really wanted to see you guys," the little Digimon explained. "We wanted to surprise you tonight, but I just couldn't wait. I came early without the others, and heard you talking about what you were going to do to TK. I went back and talked to the others, and Gatomon warned me that I needed to find a way to work things out or else."

"Or else?"

"She didn't say what or else was, but knowing Gatomon I wasn't taking any chances!"

Davis laughed. "If she's anything like Kari I can't blame you one bit little buddy!"

"Hey Davis," Demiveemon whispered. "Are you going to be okay? I mean I know how much you like Kari."

"I'll be alright Demiveemon," he said with a slight sigh. "I may never get over her but..."

All of a sudden a rather attractive young lady caught Davis's eye, and his mouth almost hit the pavement. She noticed him staring at her, and giggled slightly as she winked at him. Davis's face flustered. "Whoa man! Did I just see that!"

Demiveemon looked up at him. "Does never always come around this fast in the human world?"

"There you are!" Tai caught his breath, as he suddenly appeared in the alley behind Davis.

"Oh crap! Let's get out of here!" Davis bellowed while he took off in the other direction. 

  
"Remember I'm an innocent party in all of this!" Demiveemon called to Tai who was speeding off after them.

********

Pat Tamon sat on a park bench with his eyes fixated on the stars above. He remembered countless nights he and his love would sit in that spot, and stare at the sky for hours when they weren't admiring each other. His head jerked to the side, as he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eyes. His eyes widened as they landed upon the very person he'd been pinning over all night.

"Angie!"

"Pat!" She rushed over to him, and they embraced in a typical cheesy fifties romance movie sort of way. "It's so good to see you again!"

"It's good to see you too!" he said, as he touched her face. "Why are you back so early? I thought your trip was supposed to last another two weeks?"

"It was cut short at the last minute. I wanted to surprise you, so I'm sorry I didn't give you any warning. I figured you'd be here on a night like this, so here I am!"

"Well I sure am surprised! I really missed you Gato, and it's sure good to have you home."

"You know your fur kind of looks nice when the moonlight shines off it Gatomon."

"Oh, stop it Pattamon! Are you trying to flirt again?"

"No, I'm just being honest."

"Oh really?"

The two young lovers parted and went on their way exposing the large tree directly behind them, and the two odd creatures perched on top of it.

"I wonder who those two people were?" Pattamon asked.

"Who cares. Let's go find TK and Kari." Gattomon leapt from the tree with Pattamon flying close behind.

********

The old Obadia subway station was the halfway point in-between the Kamiya residence, and the Takaishi's. Since TK and Kari both left around the same time, they both happened to be walking by it at the exact same time. They were both so lost in their thoughts at the moment that they almost walked right past each other. They did a double take, and whirled around to find themselves staring right into each other's eyes.

"TK!..."

"Kari! I was just going to see you and... I... Can we go someplace a little more quiet and talk?"

"So, you want to talk now?... What happened to staying out of my life?" Kari asked, but not completely sure why she did. Maybe only to find out just how mad he still was at her.

"Kari... Can we just forget about all that for a minute?!" he begged. "This has nothing to do with that!... Well, it does, but I really need to talk to you. Could you please follow me?"

"Okay..."

TK led her to a spot overlooking the subway tracks. He knew the place was usually empty at that time of night, and today was no exception.

"Kari I'm so sorry for the way I acted. I had gotten the letter only a few hours before, and I was really upset. It broke my heart to think that's what you really thought about me. I should've at least been willing to listen to you, and I'm sorry." TK gently took Kari's hands in his. "If you'll look me in the eyes, and tell me you didn't write that letter then I'll believe you this time. I promise."

Kari did look up into his eyes. They were a sea of red surrounding two circles of blue, that still seemed beautiful to her somehow. TK was seeing the same thing, only hers were brown. "I didn't do it TK. Davis did. I guess he felt guilty about it, so he admitted it to me. That's why I was coming over to see you..."

"Davis! Wait till I get my hands on that little...!"

"Just forget about Davis for a minute!" Kari pleaded with him. "I think he's learned his lesson anyway."

TK's anger gave way to sadness when he thought about what he'd done to her. "Oh Kari... I should've known you'd never do something like that to me! And I treated you like dirt for it! I'm so sorry Kari, I don't deserve to be breathing the same air as you! I blew up, and I hurt you..."

Kari cupped her hands around TK's chin, and directed his head so they were face to face. "It's not what you said to me that hurt me TK. I would've reacted the exact same way if I thought you did something like that to me. It was the thought that you could actually think I could do something like that to you that killed me TK! We've been through so much together, and the friendship I've shown towards you was never an act! I care about you too much to ever try to hurt you that way... Please don't ever think that way again!"

TK stared down into her eyes, and noticed they were trying to fight back more tears. He smiled weakly, and removed her hands from his face before extending his hand to her. "I won't Kari. Friends?"

Kari looked him in the face, and smiled. "No."

"What?!" 

TK thought his worst fears were coming true right before his eyes, but boy was he wrong. Kari jumped up, and pressed her lips to his completely clearing everything else from his mind. His arms fell limp to his sides, as Kari's lips fused in deeper with his. When they parted she literally had to hold TK up to keep him from falling over from shock. 

"Ka...ka..ka..Kari!..."

Kari blushed brightly. She threw her arms around his waist, and rested her head against his chest. "Sorry if that was too sudden, but I had to do it now before I lost my nerve."

"So, that's what you wanted to give me?" he asked.

"No that's just a small piece."

"So than what was it you wanted to give me then?"

Kari smiled seductively, and pushed her face up close to his. She was about to speak when she felt a faint itching at her nose. "TK I... Ah-choo!" 

TK's head jerked back after getting a face full of Kari's mucus. All either did was blink, as they stared at each other. "That was payback wasn't it?" TK joked.

"No, I swear that wasn't what I was planning on!" she giggled.

TK pulled out his handkerchief, but Kari insisted on cleaning him off herself. "We might want to consider watching out for that from now on."

"Okay now where was I? Oh yeah. I'm sorry I can't be as romantic as you, but I can't give you my heart," she sighed.

"Why is that?" TK asked nervously.

"Because you stole it away from me a long time ago."

Now TK was blushing bright enough to light up any dark room. "I did?"

"Yeah," Kari sighed. "Now there's really only one thing I can give you."

TK was afraid to ask, but he did anyway. "What?"

Kari leaned upward so her face was just inches away from his. "Me."

"Just what I always wanted." TK smiled right before their lips found each other's again. This time they wouldn't be done for a while.

"Hey Gatomon! There they are!" Pattamon said, as he pointed at their friends.

Gatomon noticed them too, but also noticed they seemed a little preoccupied at the moment. "Uh-oh! I think we just walked in on something."

The two Digimon stood, and flapped, there watching the kids go at it for about a minute.

"What's up? Are they stuck?" Pattamon asked.

"Possibly," Gatomon replied. "It doesn't seem like they'd care if they were though."

"Should we stop them? They're not in any danger by doing that are they?"

"Don't worry. The only thing they're in danger of is swallowing each other's tongues." 

"What does that mean?" he asked curiously.

"You should know that already," Gatomon giggled. "Well, we'd just be getting in the way here, so let's go find some way to amuse ourselves while they're busy. If they're not done in an hour we'll break them up, and escort them home." Gatomon bounded off leaving Pattamon flapping there still wondering what she had meant.

"Swallow each other's tongues? I wonder if that has anything to do with what Gatomon showed me...... Oh!" Pattamon blushed, and flapped away.

end.


End file.
